Kihoro.E., Maina.I., Miruka.M., Murithi.F.

CLIMATE CHANGE: THE HIDDEN ADAPTATION OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE IN THE AGRIFOOD SECTOR, A CASE STUDY OF THE KENYAN

CONTEXT.

Introduction

Climate adaptation refers to the ability of a system to adjust to climate change and variability: to moderate potential damage, to take advantage of opportunities, or to cope with the consequences

75% of Kenyans are food insecure Agriculture contributes 26% to the GDP and accounts for approximately

75% of the employed Currently, 78.31% of Kenyans are below 34 years old.Approximately 67% of the unemployed in the country are the youth

This paper identifies opportunities in transformative agriculture for climate adaptation that young people have taken up and exploited as producers, entrepreneurs and as consumers. The needed policy environment and infrastructure are also evaluated

Objectives

• To analyze the effects of climate change in Kenya and identify opportunities in the agri-food sector that the youth can use to improve their livelihoods and enhance food security.

• To assess the enabling factors that have assisted the youth to better adapt and cope with the climate change effects in the agri-food sector.

Conceptual framework

Climate change

Transformative agriculture

efficiency in the Food production

value chain,Increased adaptive capacity,Changed

consumption pattern

outcomes for the country

natural resources

managementFood security increased food

productiongrowth of other

sectors

Outcomes for youth

Food securityIncreased incomes

Employment opportunities

Inefficient Agricultural

sectorOlder farmers, no innovation, less adaptive, low skills

Older farmers, no innovation, less adaptive, low skills Appropriate

Policies, skills, innovation, technology, Aspirations

•Increased temperature•GHG•deforestation•Increased use of fossil fuels•Industrialization

•Drought•Diseases•Flooding•Food insecurity•Acidification of lakes•Loss of genetic resource

Young farmers, less involved in agriculture, high adoptive capacity

Effects

Data Sources

• Desk study• Field interviews• Various youth groups initiatives and individual innovative enterprises in

the agri sector were interviewed and their initiatives contribution to sustainability in the agri sector analyzed

Innovative contributions to the food value chain: Case study I

Initiative Brief summary

Agri vijana Loan

The Youth Enterprise Development Fund (YEDF) and Amiran Kenya Ltd have partnered to support young farmers in acquiring a tailor made Amiran Farmers Kit (AFK) and get involved in Agribusiness The AgriVijana Amiran Farmer’s Kit, contains 2 greenhouses, a drip irrigation system, a water tank, plant support system, seeds, fertilizers, crop protection products for one season, a farmer’s sprayer, nursery set, health and safety protective gear, training, agro-support, and AFK insurance.

Innovative contributions to the food value chain: Case Study II

Initiative Brief summeryFruit farming through scheduled planting

Ms. Ann Nyaga a graduate of biomedical Science and technology from Egerton University in 2007 is practicing farming on her father’s 20-acre piece of land. She dedicates three acres to water melon farming through irrigation.

In a year, she manages two major seasons which are well planned so that they peak at a time when the rain relying growers are out of season - a move that earns her optimum prices. In a good season each acre produces over 20 tonnes of watermelon. Usually, a kilogramme of the produce goes for between Ksh. 20 to Ksh. 25. This translates to ksh. 800, 000 to 1 million gross earnings in just three months.

Innovative contributions to the food value chain:Case study III

Initiative Brief summeryDrought tolerant crops - New Site Youth Group in Mbeere South District

New Site Youth Group in Mbeere South District , Kenya is one of the target farmers’ groups working in collaboration with the project “Making agri-food systems work for the rural poor in Eastern and Southern Africa.” The project is being implemented by KARI with funding from the IDRC.

Newsite Initiative Youth Self Help Group is engaged in of planting of drought tolerant crops. It is expected that members of the group will learn about improved agricultural technologies from KARI scientists that they can apply on their farms.

ICTs: Case Study I

Application Brief summeryiCow This is an application designed to

track individual cows per farmer to maintain all relevant information specific to each cow.

It gives the farmer access to:• Comprehensive gestation

calendar, • Health information services• Nutrition information services• Disease services and • Costs of production• Customizable calendar and

calculator

ICTs: Case Study II

Application Brief summerym-Farm M-Farm Limited is a software solution designed to get the farmers

information pertaining to the retail price of their products, input costs directly from the manufacturers, and find buyers online.

Results I: Increased production and changing consumption patterns

Results II: Entrepreneurship

Engagement of youth at various nodes along the agricultural value chain;

• Extension services provision• Marketing• Processing • Scheduled production leading to higher incomes• Bulking• Reporting• Sharing of success stories and changing perceptions through social media

leading to increasing interest in youth investments in agriculture

Note: Youth targeted interventions and general enabling environment

Results IV: Enabling environment

• Capacity Development and training Need for relevant training Relevant remuneration and opportunities

• Policy Vision 2030 The enactment of the Consolidated Agricultural Reform Bill to provide the

necessary legal framework for the desired change in the legal framework governing agriculture. (2) Increased Agricultural Productivity (3) Transforming Agricultural Land Use (4) Agricultural Marketing and (5) ASAL development

• Infrastructure Funding Roads, storage, airports, rail, cooling systems ICT, Post harvest processing

Conclusions

• Youth involvement in agriculture is driven by varying motivations ; rewarding benefits, filling a need or part of the adaptive system, or just a need to do old things differently

• Supporting and up-scaling innovation: There are many initiatives been successful however many lack financial capacity to be done at a sustainable scale. There is need for the government to support these initiatives and facilitate rolling out of the successful ideas to all parts of the country.

• Skills development and relevant training (e.g. ICTS, entrepreneurship) is needed to motivate the youth to engage in agriculture and to achieve agricultural transformation.

• Enabling policies and good infrastructure that facilitate funding, lower transaction costs and markets access costs are important for improved efficiency and effectiveness of the agricultural sector.

Thank you