The Role of Climate Risk and Crop Insurance in Kenya’s Agricultural Future

Green Up Kenya: Empowering Women Farmers with Solar-Powered Solutions

Green Up Kenya is a transformative initiative by The Era of Africa (TEOA) in partnership with Participatory Approaches for Integrated Development (PAFID), aimed at breaking the cycle of poverty and climate vulnerability among women smallholder farmers in Tharaka Nithi County, Kenya. By introducing smart solar-powered irrigation systems developed by SunCulture, the project brings hope to communities struggling with drought, erratic rainfall, and rising input costs—placing the power of climate-smart agriculture directly in the hands of those who need it most.

Following a detailed technical and feasibility survey, 111 smallholder farmers—70% of them women—were selected based on vulnerability and proximity to water sources. These women, often the backbone of household food production, face the brunt of climate change with limited resources. Most have only primary education or none at all, underscoring the project's commitment to simple, inclusive training methods. The initiative will directly uplift over 100 farming households and indirectly benefit more than 600 community members through increased food production, improved livelihoods, and knowledge sharing.

More than just a technology intervention, Green Up Kenya is a story of resilience, dignity, and opportunity. It builds on TEOA’s successful track record in West Africa (Light Up Burkina) and continues its mission to scale grassroots solutions across Africa. With each solar pump installed, a woman gains water security, a family secures its food supply, and a community takes one bold step toward sustainable transformation.

The project titled “Developing Strategies to Empower Vulnerable Women Farmers Through Sustainable Finance and Mechanization for Climate Resilience in Kenya” tackles urgent challenges faced by women smallholder farmers in Tharaka Nithi County—one of Kenya’s most climate-vulnerable regions. These women, despite being the backbone of rural agriculture, are disproportionately affected by climate shocks, lack of access to mechanization, financial exclusion, and deeply rooted gender inequalities. Without targeted intervention, their potential remains untapped, their livelihoods insecure, and their families at continued risk of hunger and poverty.

This initiative offers a powerful opportunity to change that narrative. By equipping women farmers with the tools, knowledge, and support they need—sustainable finance, climate-smart mechanization, and access to insurance—the project empowers them not only to adapt to climate change but to lead their communities toward resilience and prosperity. Spearheaded by PAFID with technical expertise from the Climate Risk Institute and programme support from Climate Action Africa (CAA) under Global Affairs Canada (GAC), and implemented by Alinea International, this initiative represents a model for inclusive, data-driven development in the agricultural sector.

The project will deliver tangible results: a Gender-Responsive Technology Needs Assessment, Gender Analysis, Insurance and Mechanization Analysis, a tailored MEL Framework, and Social and Environmental Safeguards. It will also build local and national capacity through targeted workshops. Expected impacts include improved institutional and stakeholder capacity, better-aligned gender-inclusive policies, informed access to finance and technology for women, reduced social and environmental risks, and a strong foundation for scaling gender-responsive agricultural interventions across vulnerable regions in Kenya.