Insight

Community Based Adaptation to Climate Change in Sakai, Kenya

February 18, 2011

In the arid- and semi-arid areas of Kenya, the rains have become increasingly unpredictable—a pattern that is expected to continue as climate change leads to more frequent and more severe droughts in the region. In response, a pilot project was undertaken in the Sakai sub-location of the East Mbooni District, which sought to enhance the resilience of smallholder farmers to current climate variability and longer term climate change. Activities undertaken as part of the project included the construction of sand dams, introducing better agronomic practices, diversification of livelihoods and providing better access to weather information.

The video "Community Based Adaptation to Climate Change, Sakai, Kenya" captures the people of Sakai speaking about the changes they have observed and the activities that they are undertaking to reduce their vulnerability to climate change. It was produced by Cynthia Awuor as part of her fellowship with the Capacity Strengthening for Least Developed Countries for Adaptation to Climate Change (CLACC) Fellowship Programme offered by the International Institute for Environment and Development. The Sakai pilot project was implemented by the Centre for Science and Technology Innovations and the Arid Lands Resource Management Project as part of the regional project "Integrating Vulnerability and Adaptation to Climate Change into Sustainable Development Policy Planning and Implementation in Eastern and Southern Africa" (ACCESA).

Follow these International Institute for Sustainable Development links for more information about the Sakai Pilot Project and the ACCESA project.