How grass seeds are changing lives in Kenya
“TWENDE: Towards Ending Drought Emergencies” is a GCF-backed project that tackles drought and extreme weather events in Kenya. Katarzyna Lesiuk from GCF’s Africa Regional team conducted a project visit, during which she spoke with local partners and communities and witnessed the results firsthand.
It was my first visit to Kenya, and while the weather was beautiful and the people were welcoming, what impressed me most was the sense that something important was developing here, beyond mere crops or fodder.
I went to Tharaka Nithi county to see the Green Climate Fund-financed Towards Ending Drought Emergencies (TWENDE) Project, a USD 35 million initiative to strengthen the resilience of livestock and other land-use sectors by restoring and improving the governance of rangeland ecosystems in Kenya’s arid and semi-arid lands. The project will benefit 775,000 people.
A community member speaks about the impact of the project on her family. She can support her family and pay school fees through the Grass Seed Bank initiative. Photo credit: IUCN.
The Kagume B Fodder Group is barely a year old, yet its impact is already visible. The small women’s group, later joined by young people, has grown into a 28-member cooperative that produces indigenous grass seeds and fodder. Two rainy seasons bring two harvests a year, generating income and opportunity. The group has set up a Village Savings and Loan Association (VSLA), where proceeds from sales are pooled so members can access loans without the usual hurdles of guarantors. Together, they decide how to use their profits. This time by investing in automation and goats—a decision that improves efficiency, diversifies income, and strengthens community resilience.
Katarzyna Lesiuk, centre, with IUCN and JUSTDIGIT representatives during the project visit. Photo credit: IUCN.
The foresight is striking, as proceeds are reinvested rather than spent. The group’s financial plan includes purchasing automated equipment to make harvesting more efficient and expanding their fields from 10 to 20 acres. Beyond the community level, there are plans to certify the seeds so they can be exported to Uganda and Rwanda, where quality restoration seeds are in high demand.
Two stories stayed with me.
One woman told me how she once struggled to pay school fees. Farming was costly and uncertain, with pesticides and water scarcity making every season a gamble. Then she joined the group and began planting grass on her land. Grass, unlike many crops, thrives in the dry conditions here. From her income, she now pays school fees, is building a house, and even employs help for her farm. She traded in uncertainty for stability, and in her eyes, I could see the pride of someone shaping their own future.
Another group member put it in these simple, powerful words: “Previously, we would depend on the grass seed banks; now the seed banks depend on us.” This says everything about the transformation happening here. These farmers are no longer passive recipients of support; they are producers, sellers, and decision-makers, strengthening their livelihoods and overall regional restoration efforts.
The harvested grass seeds from the Grass Seed Bank initiative. Photo credit: IUCN.
As I strolled through the fields, the land conveyed this positive narrative. The grass seeds are not just repairing degraded soil but restoring dignity. They are proof that solutions to climate challenges can be rooted in local knowledge, strengthened by collective action, and sustained through smart reinvestment. And it reminded me that when institutions like the Green Climate Fund (GCF) invest in communities, they are planting seeds that will grow beyond a single project’s lifespan.
Seeing how the community comes together to reinvest the project proceeds, strengthen their resilience, and make plans to expand export opportunities was truly inspiring. GCF’s mission is clear: to support developing nations in addressing the pressing challenges of climate change, enabling them to adapt and build sustainable, resilient futures. Here in Tharaka Nithi, that commitment is alive in the soil, the community spirit, and the ambitions of local farmers.
The collaboration between the IUCN, Conservation International and several national institutions in Kenya is also a testament to the power of partnership in effective climate action.
Katarzyna Lesiuk is a Restructuring and Cancellation Specialist (Funded Activities) in GCF’s Department of Africa Region.
Photo credit: GCF/ Katarzyna Lesiuk.