
Enhancing Climate-Smart Agriculture through the Africa Agriculture Adaptation Atlas (AAAA): Insights from the County-Level Validation Exercise
With funding from the Gates Foundation, the Regional Centre for Mapping of Resources for Development (RCMRD) in partnership with Sustainable Agriculture Foundation (SAF-A) conducted a county-level landscape validation exercise in Kenya. This initiative aimed to assess existing agricultural practices, particularly climate-smart agriculture (CSA) initiatives, and explore opportunities for the AAAA under the Sustainable Agriculture Foundation-Africa (SAF-A) Project. The exercise covered over 35 counties across the country, among them Machakos, Makueni, Nyeri, Murang’a, Nyandarua, Kilifi, Kwale, Taita Taveta, Kirinyaga, Embu, Kajiado, Busia, Narok, Kisii, Bomet, Turkana, West Pokot, Nakuru, Isiolo, Uasin Gichu, Baringo among others.
The findings from this validation exercise highlighted both challenges and opportunities within Kenya's agricultural landscape. One key observation was the gender disparity in agriculture. Women make up 75% of the agricultural labor force, yet they continue to face barriers stemming from reproductive, productive, and community responsibilities. Despite efforts by initiatives such as the Women Enterprise Fund and various NGO programs aimed at improving access to credit, training, and markets, issues such as limited land ownership and the adverse effects of climate change remain significant challenges. Women played a particularly active role in goat and poultry farming, while community-driven initiatives focused on water conservation, agroforestry, cooperatives, and value chain development.


Several recommendations emerged from the validation exercise to enhance the AAAA’s effectiveness. Counties emphasized the need for capacity building through targeted training programs for county officials, enabling them to better interpret data and make informed decisions. Customization of the platform to include county-specific datasets and Agro-Ecological Zone (AEZ) classifications was also recommended.
Additionally, stakeholders highlighted the importance of:
• Establishing GIS/Remote Sensing (RS) laboratories to facilitate real-time monitoring and support policy formulation
• Updating outdated value chain data to reflect current agricultural trends
The validation exercise demonstrated that with proper customization and support, the AAAA can serve as a transformative tool in advancing sustainable agriculture, fostering resilience, and driving economic growth across the country.
Written by: Gladys Mwangi