A case study on Jijenge Youth Initiative – small steps in the right direction of climate adaptation

Kilifi as many of the Coastal Counties of Kenya has experienced the adverse effects of Climate Change including the rising sea level and coastal erosion, increased salinity of coastal aquifers and frequent extreme weather events such as floods and droughts. these conditions have increased the already high poverty levels and disproportionately affected populations in the county call for accelerated adaptation measures. In the wake of this Kilifi County has developed a Climate Change Policy, conducted Participatory Risk Assessments and developed County Climate Change Action Plan that mobilizes and coordination actors/actions in the Climate Change Adaptation space and the local level

Jijenge Youth Initiative is a a local Youth Led Organization in Kilifi that is a sub awardee of the KECOSCE GRANTS (KGRANTS) ; a small grants facility Managed by the Kenya Community Support Centre (KECOSCE). The Grant aims that supporting implementation of hyper local grassroot initiatives towards accelerating adaptation measures to climate change. Through the KGRANT support Jijenge Youth Group has trained a team of 15 Youth Climate Change ambassadors who are sensitizing local at risk and vulnerable communities on climate smart agriculture innovations using easy Plant to sell activities including urban farming techniques for local youth groups. The 15 Champions are working with grassroot farmers connecting them to local agriculture extension workers.

Online sensitization by Jijenge Youth Initiative and government officers

The sensitization is done physically with practical on-farm session and coupled with information dissemination online for youth agri-prenuers. They have partnered with local agriculture department, other civil society organizations (Including KECOSCE) and community leaders to conduct online webinars and discussions on X Space that have reached over 20,000 people online.

As a result local small holder farmers in Kilifi sub county have embraced new technologies such as multi-storey gardens, Re-use of plastic bottles for farming. these technics have moved farmers from a subsistence farming culture to a “farming to sell” mindset with high yielding profitable crops. This has now attracted the interest of another 50 youth who have started small kitchen gardens in their back yards.

These steps gradual steps are enabling youth to advance toward ensuring food security and sovereignty for the people of Kilifi and beyond. KECOSCE shall continue to support such ventures by the youth towards improving local food systems and adapting to adverse effects of climate change. as the Chinese rightly put it ” It is better to make many small steps in the right direction, than a great leap forward only to stumble and fall”