By Matilda Atieno
As county government and partners invest in building resilience to climate impacts, Kisumu residents have recognized the value of locally-led adaptation planning to manage climate change faced by communities and Indigenous peoples.
The Community adaptation planning exercise organized in partnership with Sdi Kenya, Muungano Wa Wanavijiji and Manseno University brought together stakeholders from the local community in the informal settlements to address historical imbalances of disproportionate vulnerabilities that climate change will otherwise deepen.
Local communities are on the frontlines of climate change impacts and are often best placed to identify adaptation solutions. The exercise was conducted simultaneously in the various informal settlements in Kisumu, including Obunga, kondele, Migosi, Nyalenda A and Nyalenda B.
The community adaptation planning focused on the six sectors including Culture, Traditional Knowledge, and Leadership, Community Livelihood, Land use Planning and Infrastructural Development, Agriculture and Food Security, Health and Water, Sanitation, and Waste Management.
The informal settlements experience rapid influx of urban migration and commercial establishments which has created serious challenges such as solid waste management, inadequate health services, insecurity, solid waste management lack of employment, poor sanitation, reduced agricultural production and damaged livelihood opportunities have adversely affected the quality of life of the local communities.
Through the Community Adaptation Planning process, community stakeholders identified and developed community-led projects that aim to improve the community’s resilience by strengthening its climate change resilience and improving their livelihoods with a focus on innovations, gender and social Inclusion.
The goal of the community adaptation plan is to contribute to climate change resilience by empowering vulnerable communities in informal settlements through community-led initiatives.
