【COP29 Side-Event】Integrating Climate Finance into Locally Led Development for Livelihood Improvement and Ecosystem Restoration towards NDC Achievement: A Case of County Green Finance and Agroforestry Interventions in Kenya.
Day：2024.12.18
event ｜
Person in charge
| identity | belong to | title |
|---|---|---|
| Yasuko Inoue | JICA SFS-CORECC Project, Kenya | Expert on Forest Policy/Extension |
Overview
Date: 14 November, 17:00-18:00
Co-host：Japan International Cooperation Agency(JICA)、Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, Kenya(MECCF)、National Treasury and Economic Planning, Kenya(NT),
Collaborators: Financial Sector Deepening Trust Kenya (FSD Kenya), Vi- Agroforestry, PwC Kenya
Location：NDC Partnership Pavilion, Blue Zone
Moderators and panelists
| identity | belong to | title |
|---|---|---|
| Mr. George Tarus | State Department for Forestry, MECCF, Kenya | Ag. Forest Conservation Secretary |
| Mr Albert Mwenda | The National Treasury and Economic Planning | DG - Budget, Fiscal and Economic Affairs |
| Dr.Anthony M. Macharia | State Department for Forestry, MECCF, Kenya | Head-Agroforestry Department |
| Mr. Ikechukwu Iheagwam | Agusto & Co. | Regional Director (East Africa) |
| Dr. Yasuko Inoue | JICA SFS-CORECC Project, Kenya | Expert on Forest Policy/Extension |
| Dr. Monica Nderitu | Vi- Agroforestry | Regional Environment and Climate Change Advisor |
| Mr. Alex Nyaga | PwC Kenya | Partner |
| Dr. Milkah Chebii | FSD Kenya | Finance Speciallist |
Primary objectives and outcomes
The side event aimes to showcase innovative methods for enhancing community resilience to climate change in Kenya while supporting the achievement of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) at sectoral and sub-national levels. Two key approaches were highlighted:
First, practical agroforestry methods were presented as an effective strategy for rural areas. The integration of trees into agricultural systems was shown to improve food security, restore soil health, and increase carbon sequestration, helping rural communities adapt to climate impacts while contributing to national climate goals.
Second, the event explored the role of green finance at the local level in driving climate action. Discussions focused on mobilizing financial resources through mechanisms like community-based financing, and private-sector investments. These tools were presented as crucial for supporting local climate adaptation and mitigation projects.
The event concluded by proposing actionable strategies to scale these approaches, emphasizing the need for local-level implementation and collaboration across sectors.
Content of the discussions
In his opening remarks, Mr. Tarus, Ag. Forest Conservation Secretary, MECCF stated that activities to achieve the national target of 15 billion trees growing through landscape conservation and ecosystem restoration are essential to achieve the NDC target, and that the promotion of agroforestry is very important as it accounts for 30% of the target. Enabling it by green finance including the use of carbon markets are also very necessary.
Mr. Mernda, Director-General of the Department of Budget, NT also continued by asserting that it is possible to achieve the NDC target by working on climate change adaptation and mitigation measures in rural areas, and by adopting innovative green finance measures such as the promotion of green bonds and carbon market is essential which will also contribute to poverty alleviation and livelihood-enhancing.
This was followed by a presentation by Dr.Macharia, Head of Agroforestry, Department, MECCF gave an overview of the various activities to be presented at the event. In addition, the Director of Agusto & Co East Africa made a presentation, reviewing the learning from the county green finance assessments of ten pilot counties in Kenya and Strategies that could enhance them were proposed.
In the panel discussion, Dr. Inoue, JICA project expert also showed a video of the School Lunch-Tree Growing Club Forest Carbon Pilot Project in Arid and Semi-Arid Lands Kenya, which utilises the useful tree seedlings bred by the SFS-CORECC project.The video showed how agroforestry has improved children's nutrition and provided incentives. Vi- Agroforestry, a Swedish NGO, informed the audience that they have obtained agroforestry credits on the voluntary carbon market and are promoting gender-sensitive projects and PwC presented on methods to attract appropriate green finance.
Materials
Moderators and panelists(From left: Dr. Inoue (JICA Expert, SFS-CORECC Project), Mr. Tarus (Ag. Forest Conservation Secretary, MECCF, Kenya), Dr. Nderitu (Regional Environment and Climate Change Advisor, Vi- Agroforestry), Mr. Nyaga (Partner, PwC Kenya), Mr. Mwenda (DG - Budget, Fiscal and Economic Affairs, The National Treasury and Economic Planning) Dr. Chebii (Financial Sector Deepening Kenya) and Mr. Iheagwam, (Regional Director, Agusto & Co. - East Africa))
Opening remarks by Mr. Tarus (Ag. Forest Conservation Secretary, MECCF, Kenya)
Showing video about "School Lunch-Tree Growing Club Forest Carbon Pilot Project" by Dr. Inoue, JICA Expert
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