Vihiga County Climate Change Action Plan 2023-2027

Abstract

Climate hazards such as floods, droughts, temperature extremes, shifts in rainfall patterns, rising sea level are projected to increase in frequency and intensity across Africa (UNFCCC, 2021). These adversely affect food and nutrition security, human health and infrastructure, the environment, water resources and presents significant disaster risks to exposed populations. Addressing the above challenges will be a great milestone towards realization of Sustainable Development Goals across all sectors. Kenya, like many other African countries, suffers from climate change impacts such as droughts with 2020- 2023 being the most severe and longest in recent times. The drought exposed more than 4.2 million people to high levels of acute food insecurity. Severe floods are projected to leave about 5.4 million people in Kenya without adequate access to food and water between March and June 2023 while Erratic Rainfall Patterns adversely affect agricultural productivity given the high dependence on rain-fed agriculture. The Vihiga County Climate Change Action plan 2023-2027 shall coordinate the County’s Climate Change adaptation and mitigation actions. This Plan is a framework for the County contribution towards the achievement of Kenya’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) under the Paris Agreement.