Kenya Climate Smart Agriculture Strategy 2017 – 2026.

The Vision of the Kenya Climate Smart Agriculture Strategy (CSA) 2017 – 2026 is: a climate resilient and low-carbon growth sustainable agriculture that ensures food security and contributes to national development goals. Its Mission is to facilitate agriculture that sustainably increases productivity, enhances resilience and minimizes greenhouse gas emissions. The overall objective of this strategy is to build resilience and minimize emissions from agricultural farming systems for enhanced food and nutritional security and improved livelihoods. The Specific Objectives are: 1) To enhance adaptive capacity and resilience of farmers, pastoralists and fisher-folk to the adverse impacts of climate change. 2) To develop mechanisms that minimize greenhouse gas emissions from agricultural production systems. 3) To improve coordination and collaboration among institutions and stakeholders in climate smart agriculture. 4) To address cross-cutting issues that adversely impact or enhance CSA.
The implementation of this Strategy will be guided by the following principles: 1) Multi-dimensional, (short, medium and long term): taking into account global to local implications at all term time scales. 2) Country and context specific: considering the holistic aspects of development. 3) Intergovernmental and participatory: recognizing interdependence of the two levels of government in line with Kenya’s Constitution and the Intergovernmental Relations Act, 2013. It has adopted a cross-sectoral approach which takes advantage of potential synergies. 4) Sustainable agriculture: will endeavor to nurture healthy ecosystems and support sustainable management of land, water and natural resources while ensuring increased productivity for national food security. This will entail improving efficiency in the use of resources; direct action to conserve, protect and enhance natural resources; and resilience of people, communities and ecosystems, especially to climate change and market volatility. This is in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, as adopted on 25th September 2015.
This Strategy will promote good governance that comprises Accountability (sound fiscal choices, made in a transparent manner, that give priority to productive social sectors such as agriculture); Transparency (decision-making, particularly in budget, regulatory and procurement processes that is critical to the effectiveness of resource use and the reduction of corruption and waste); Participation (consultation process enabling stakeholders to participate in the formulation of development strategies). This principle will guide the Strategy in institutionalizing an overall enabling environment for implementation of CSA and mainstreaming climate change issues in agriculture. It aims at the Environmental Management including: Polluter and User Pays Principle; Precautionary Principle; Effectiveness and Efficiency Principle; Responsibility Principle; Participation, and Proportionality which is based on the concept of balance between economic development and environmental protection. Benefits to a larger section of people have to be maintained. This principle will guide the Strategy in institutionalizing measures that will ensure balance between increasing food supply and maintenance of environmental integrity.