be useful, helping farmers in different parts of the country, facing different weather conditions, reduce their reliance on unpredictable rains and slowly become more resilient to rising challenges of climate change. These innovations are enabling Kenyan farmers intensify their agricultural production and build up the resilience of the national food system, which can withstand the shocks of unexpected droughts.
One such innovation is the use of farm ponds to harvest and store water. This water is then used to irrigate high value crops, as well as to provide drinking water for livestock. Another critical issue faced by farmers in certain regions is being too far from the energy grid, which limited their ability to upscale irrigation. This challenges is now being addressed using solar power irrigation systems (SPIS), as various companies promote solar water pumps in these regions like the Kajiado County.
Meanwhile, blended finance models have also supported agricultural intensification and watershed management. The Upper Tana ‘Water Fund’, launched in 2012, is mobilising funds from public and private sector institutions, in order to aid conservation activities in the catchment areas of the Upper Tana. They help farmers reverse soil degradation and erosion and continue growing food.
