Climate-smart farming through Kenyan cooperation

Cooperative partnerships are scaling climate-smart agriculture across continents. The Tunza project shows how collaboration can cut emissions with 4.3 million tonnes by 2045 while optimising productivity for thousands of farmers.

Climate change is putting increasing pressure on global food systems. In Kenya, many smallholder farmers face rising climate risks and low productivity in several value chains, creating a need to increase output while reducing emissions and protecting natural resources.

Denmark has shown that close collaboration between farmers, industry and policymakers can deliver effective climate solutions. Through the Cooperative Partnership for Climate-Smart Food and Forestry, this approach goes beyond Denmark and reaches Kenya with the Tunza Green Climate Fund project.

we are taking some of the thoughts from the Danish three-party agreement and applying them in a different context in Kenya through a Green Climate Fund-supported project

Cooperatives and cross-sector collaboration in Kenya
In Denmark, farmers, government and industry develop climate solutions together. This ensures reduced emissions without compromising productivity. A partnership between the Danish Agriculture and Food Council and other farmer organisations in the Netherlands, Finland and Kenya now applies this approach in Kenya, working under the World’s Farmers’ Organisation in collaboration with FAO and Agriterra.

In Kenya’s Lake Victoria region, the Tunza project engages 130 agricultural cooperatives representing around 80,000 farmers across six value chains, including dairy, coffee, tea, poultry, vegetables and fruit. Here, the project uses cooperatives as the main platform for implementation. This enables farmers to apply new practices directly in their own production systems. The potential for improvement is significant. For example, dairy cows in the region currently produce around three litres of milk per day, but with improved feed and management the yield can increase to seven litres.

Delivering measurable climate impact
The Tunza project aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 1.2 million tonnes by 2030, increasing to 4.3 million tonnes by 2045, while supporting higher productivity through the adoption of improved agricultural practices.

The impact extends far beyond individual farms. By combining cooperative structures, climate-smart practices and access to finance, the project strengthens agricultural systems and supports more efficient production.