KISUMU, Kenya — Kisumu County, alongside member counties of the Lake Region Economic Bloc (LREB), has launched a major climate resilience initiative aimed at strengthening food security and supporting sustainable agriculture across the region.
Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o announced the rollout of the $49.9 million (about Sh6.5 billion) TUNZA Project, an initiative led by the Food and Agriculture Organization in partnership with the Green Climate Fund, and supported by the governments of Kenya and Denmark.
Nyong’o, who co-chairs the project steering committee with Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi, said the project seeks to address the growing impact of climate change on livelihoods and food systems in the lake region.
“The moment calls for bold, coordinated and sustainable action,” he said during the inaugural steering committee meeting, which approved the project’s governance structure, inception report, and annual work plan.
The TUNZA Project is expected to directly benefit more than 573,000 people, with broader impact projected through 2030 and beyond.
It will focus on promoting climate-smart, low-carbon agricultural value chains across LREB counties, which have been increasingly affected by erratic weather patterns, floods, and declining agricultural productivity.
The initiative will also target over 63,000 smallholder farmers through farmer field schools, cooperative models, and the adoption of climate-smart technologies. Officials say the project integrates gender-responsive approaches to ensure inclusive participation and benefits.
Among stakeholders present at the launch were Farayi Zimudzi and Hamisi M. Williams, alongside representatives from the Royal Danish Embassy and regional leaders.
The initiative positions the Lake Region as a key testing ground for scalable climate solutions, as counties seek to cushion vulnerable communities from climate shocks while boosting agricultural productivity and incomes.
