Kenya—Strengthening Adaptation and Resilience to Changes to Climate in Kenya Plus (StARCK+)

Much of Kenya’s economy is based around sectors that are highly climate vulnerable, particularly tourism, arable agriculture, horticulture, floriculture, and livestock. Minor industries that employ significant numbers, such as forestry and coastal and freshwater fisheries, are also sensitive to changes in climate. Kenya’s energy sector is highly dependent on hydropower, and therefore, along with the industry and manufacturing that it powers, is also climate-vulnerable.

StARCK+ was designed to achieve transformational change by helping Kenya to scale up private sector innovation and investment in low carbon and adaptation products, services, and assets such as clean energy, sustainable agriculture, water management, and weather forecasting. We targeted support to critical aspects of governance and the stimulation of civil society demand.

StARCK+ followed the original StARCK program (2011–2013), which supported various activities to assist in Kenya’s approach to climate adaptation. It consisted of five components—the fifth component, for which DAI and partners were responsible, was the Finance for Innovation and Climate Change Fund (FICCF).

Sample Activities

• Establish and manage the FICCF, providing £5.35 million for climate adaptation initiatives in the private sector.
• Provide technical assistance on climate response to the Government of Kenya as it implements its National Action Plan and Response Strategy, and develops its law and policy, which are currently under consideration, and climate finance policy.
• Coordinate all partners on resilience and adaptation actions.

Select Results

• Helped draft Kenya’s Climate Change Act in 2016.
• Supported 15,000 people to cope with adverse weather-related events through the adoption of climate smart agricultural practices, with more than 20,000 farmers additionally supported through access to downscaled weather and climate information services.
• Provided 66,655 people with access to cleaner energy through fuel efficient and cleaner fuel cookstoves, saving the equivalent of 40,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide.
• Awarded FICCF grants to the UN, Kenya Association of Manufacturers, and the ClimateCare carbon offset company.
• Facilitated innovative coordination between MFIs, climate specialists, and agricultural supply chain actors resulting in groundbreaking, systemic shifts in agriculture production. Examples include increased uptake of climate resilient crops such as sorghum and cassava, diversified income generation such as utilizing indigenous chicken, and production improvements in dairy and crops that reduce net emissions whilst increasing productivity.