iFEED’s cutting-edge research enabled a 1.4 million GBP investment to strengthen climate resilience in Kenya.
ClimBeR’s integrated Future Estimator for Emissions and Diets (iFEED) – a climate-smart food systems policy pathway tool – provided crucial evidence that contributed to securing a £1.4 million investment for the Innovation in Sustainability, Policy, Adaptation, and Resilience in Kenya (iSPARK) project. This intervention leverages remote sensing and modeling to enhance climate resilience, supporting sustainable agriculture and adaptation strategies. Led by CIAT and collaborating partners, the project builds on ClimBeR’s methodologies to strengthen climate-smart solutions at the national level.
Kenya faces increasing climate risks, including erratic rainfall, prolonged droughts, and extreme weather events, that threaten food security and agricultural productivity. Farmers, policymakers, and development organizations all require reliable data-driven strategies to mitigate climate risks and enhance resilience. The CGIAR Initiative on Climate Resilience (ClimBeR) developed integrated Future Estimator for Emmissions and Diets (iFEED) tool was used by the project team and stakeholder working group to assess Kenyan nutrition security in 2050, given climate change impacts and the agricultural transformations that can enhance resilience, such as expanding crop areas, irrigation, or crop diversification and yields. iFEED assessed how specific changes to Kenyan agriculture, based on current policies such as the Agricultural Sector Transformation and Growth Strategy and the National Water Master Plan 2030, could contribute to improved climate resilience and nutrition security.
ClimBeR also laid the foundation for a solution to strengthen climate resilience through evidence-based investment, utilizing iFEED’s research, which paved the way for the Innovation in Sustainability, Policy, Adaptation, and Resilience in Kenya (iSPARK) initiative. iFEED produced cutting-edge research that informed policymakers and funders, resulting in a £1.4 million investment in iSPARK. The methods for iFEED, and the first results for four sub-Saharan countries ( Jennings et al.,2022) made the crucial link between the CGIAR’s research portfolio (i.e. ClimBeR specifically) and the iSPARK proposal. Links such as this were a stipulated aspect of the funding call from the UK-CGIAR center, which led to the investment in iSPARK. The scenarios of Kenyan food systems transformation produced under ClimBeR form a key thread in iSPARK’s second major innovation, which focuses on investment in irrigation.
This funding enables the use of remote sensing technologies and predictive climate models to strengthen local adaptation strategies, helping farmers and policymakers make informed decisions. To maximize the reach and adoption of these solutions, ClimBeR engaged stakeholders through workshops, policy dialogues, and collaborative research partnerships.
The investment benefits Kenyan farmers by enhancing their access to climate-smart solutions, improving productivity, and ensuring long-term sustainability. Policymakers and development organizations also gain valuable insights from advanced climate models, enabling evidence-based decision-making. Women and youth in agriculture stand to benefit significantly through targeted adaptation programs and capacity-building initiatives.
The evidence generated by ClimBeR played a pivotal role in securing funding and shaping iSPARK’s strategic direction, which will ensure that critical research and funding for building resilience and improving food security continues beyond the Initiative’s lifetime.
“The iFEED evidence has been instrumental in mobilizing resources for climate resilience. By integrating advanced crop-climate modeling and remote sensing, we are building a stronger foundation for sustainable adaptation in Kenya.”
Lillian Kirwa, ISPARK Partner – Ishamba.