Empowering local voices: VCA's impact on climate action

Posted on 17 September 2024

Four years since the inception of the Voices for Just Climate Action (VCA) in Kenya, the alliance has influenced the development of County Climate Change Action Plans and Regulations for Nakuru, Garissa, Samburu, Narok and Marsabit Counties.

These plans have supported the localisation of the climate agenda at the grassroots level. So far, WWF-Kenya has also facilitated the capacity strengthening of over 60 ward-level climate change committees, ensuring that climate finance reaches where it is needed the most.

Some of that financing has been injected into locally-led nature-based solutions such as:

Riparian restoration using bamboo and the establishment of tree nurseries in Nakuru County.
The establishment of grass banks in Baringo County to enhance rangeland management.
The facilitation of the adoption of the Ramat model of rangeland restoration in Samburu County.

Ramat, which means 'to take care of' in Samburu, has since been recognised as a best practice for rangeland restoration by the UN Decade of Restoration. The Ramat model relies on indigenous knowledge passed from one generation to another and strengthens the local governance systems for enhancing restoration.

These are some of the achievements that WWF-Kenya and VCA alliance partners reflected on when they met for the final Annual Planning held in Kisumu in early September 2024.

The VCA programme is a consortium of 5 partners: WWF, HIVOS, Slum Dwellers International, Akina Mama wa Afrika and SouthSouthNorth. The alliance has partnered with more than 30 partners working in 14 counties.

Caroline Kikava, a WWF-Kenya, at a model farm for urban climate-smart agriculture established by Kisumu Young Agripreneurs working under Slum Dwellers International (SDI). SDI is one of the Voices for Just Climate Action consortium partners alongside WWF, Akina Mama wa Africa, HIVOS and SouthSouthNorth.