HOMA BAY, Kenya — Homa Bay County has launched its first people-led climate adaptation plan, aiming to boost resilience against the escalating impacts of climate change. The initiative, named the Locally-Led People’s Adaptation Plan, is a joint effort between the Homa Bay County Government and the Global Centre for Adaptation (GCA). It emphasizes active public participation, particularly from residents in informal settlements, allowing communities to share firsthand experiences of climate challenges, including flooding, drought, and storm damage, and to highlight priorities for mitigation.
The adaptation plan will guide long-term strategies to address the root causes of climate vulnerability while implementing practical interventions. Governor Gladys Wanga explained that the plan will oversee projects such as upgrading drainage systems, improving urban infrastructure, enhancing road networks, and revitalizing slums. Climate change can force people to relocate from their indigenous places of living. This adaptation plan will equip communities with the tools to mitigate these adversities, she said during a site visit to Shauri Yako estate in Homa Bay town. The initiative also seeks to secure funding to improve living conditions and ensure sustainable urban development.
Prof. Patrick Verkooijen, CEO of GCA, highlighted that the plan empowers residents by giving them a platform to voice their needs, which will guide resource allocation and project implementation. He added that the strategy will help mobilize international support from developed countries, ensuring that local priorities are matched with adequate funding. Officials hope that the people-led approach will not only reduce the negative impacts of climate hazards but also set Homa Bay on a trajectory toward orderly urban planning, economic growth, and resilience against future climate shocks.