Kenya has secured a grant of about Ksh270 million (US$2.08 million) from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to strengthen farmers’ resilience to harsh weather, the National Treasury confirmed on Thursday.
Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi signed the agreement under the Climate Smart Agribusiness Partnerships for Resilience (CSAPR) programme. The money will be channelled through the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), a long-standing partner in Kenya’s agricultural sector.
The grant will support the Integrated Natural Resources Management Programme, which aims to build climate information into farming value chains so farmers can use weather data to manage risk and improve yields.
The funding comes as drought and erratic weather have hit key sectors such as maize and milk production, and as the Greater Horn of Africa braces for El Niño conditions that can bring heatwaves, dry spells and flooding.
The Gates Foundation already funds Kenyan programmes in health, sanitation, gender equality and financial services. In January, the Kenya Medical Research Institute received Ksh516 million from the foundation to lead an African women’s health research initiative.
Source: Kenyans.co.ke (National Treasury statement).
