Across Kenya’s arid and semi-arid lands, a quiet agricultural revolution is unfolding as smallholder farmers, in partnership with government agencies and international organizations, are turning to drought-tolerant crops to combat food insecurity. Faced with increasingly erratic rainfall and prolonged dry spells, communities are revitalizing the cultivation of indigenous, resilient crops like sorghum, millet, cassava, and drought-tolerant varieties of green grams and pigeon peas. This strategic shift away from water-intensive maize is not just a coping mechanism but a proactive step towards building climate resilience, safeguarding livelihoods, and diversifying nutrition for millions in climate-vulnerable regions.
The transition is being driven by a combination of farmer-led experimentation and structured support. Agricultural extension officers from the Ministry of Agriculture, alongside development partners, are distributing improved seed varieties and providing training on conservation agriculture techniques that maximize soil moisture. In counties like Makueni and Kitui, women’s farming cooperatives have become the epicenters of this change, establishing demonstration plots and seed multiplication farms. The success is tangible; farmers report being able to harvest a crop even during seasons of insufficient rain, ensuring household food supplies and generating surplus for local markets. This has not only reduced reliance on food aid but also opened up new economic opportunities, linking farmers to processors seeking sorghum for beer production or millet for nutritious flour.
The long-term impact of this crop diversification extends beyond individual farms to national food security. By reducing the national over-reliance on maize, a crop frequently failing due to climate stress, Kenya is building a more robust and adaptable food system. The increased production of nutrient-dense traditional crops is also helping to combat malnutrition, particularly among children. Looking ahead, the focus is on strengthening the entire value chain—from seed systems and on-farm processing to market access—to ensure that growing these climate-smart crops remains a profitable and sustainable enterprise. This grassroots-led movement demonstrates that adapting to climate change can also mean rediscovering and commercializing the power of traditional, resilient crops.