Kenya is very vulnerable to climate change mainly droughts and floods. The increasing vulnerability of farmers and pastoralists’ livelihoods to these climatic events is a pressing problem in Kenya’s arid and semi-arid areas and which have been enhanced by socio-economic and political factors. Therefore, climate change adaptation and mitigation research is one of the KARI’s thematic focal areas as stipulated in its Strategic Plan 2009-2014. Climate Change Unit (CCU) was launched on the 27th May 2010, to serve as a focal point for climate change related research. The CCU aims to develop the capacity of KARI scientists to understand and develop adaptation technologies and techniques to help smallholder farmers and SME agribusinesses respond to the effects of climate change. KARI CCU objectives are:

• To mainstream the climate change agenda in all KARI Programmes as a means of enhancing farmer resilience to the effects of climate change,


• To increase the level, awareness, coordination, and oversight of research relevant to climate change vulnerability, adaptation and mitigation at KARI, and


• To increase and sustain crop and livestock productivity through adaptation as a response to the effects of climate change.


• Engaging external partners and stakeholders on relevant issue areas