Agroforestry and Reforestation in Kisumu, Kenya

Kisumu County, on the shores of Lake Victoria, is grappling with the challenges of climate change and environmental degradation, undermining its agriculture, fishing, and transportation sectors. Floods, droughts, soil erosion, and poor sanitation threaten livelihoods, while agricultural runoff, invasive species, and pesticide use continue to degrade the lake’s ecosystem. Limited access to clean water and sanitation deepens inequalities and reduces the community’s ability to adapt. 

To address these challenges, Trust 2 Impact is managing and implementing a climate-smart agroforestry program, also known as the NBI Transformation Program, for Kisumu. It provides a scalable roadmap to regenerate the water–energy–food nexus, starting with the rehabilitation of the Nyando catchment. The programme applies nature-based infrastructure, including agroforestry, reforestation, decentralized biodigesters, WASH measures, and sustainable fisheries, to restore ecosystems, improve water quality, generate renewable energy, and create new income opportunities. 

• Water: Cleaning up Lake Victoria, reducing wastewater discharge through new toilets, and restoring forests and riparian zones to improve water quality and regulate streamflow. 

• Energy: Using biodigesters to turn organic waste and aquatic plants into clean biogas and compost, reducing reliance on fuelwood and charcoal. 

• Food: Expanding agroforestry and climate-smart agriculture to improve soil health and productivity, while fish hatcheries support sustainable fisheries and food security. 

The NBI Global Resource Centre conducted a Sustainable Asset Valuation (SAVi) of the programme, comparing a business-as-usual baseline scenario with four nature-based infrastructure scenarios: one integrating agroforestry, sanitation and waste management (WASH), and sustainable fisheries, and three focusing on each of these interventions individually. 

The results show that NBI is both cost-effective and transformative. Over 26 years, the integrated NBI scenario generates nearly USD 940 million in net benefits. Put simply, every dollar invested in the programme generates about three dollars in benefits for people, the economy, and the environment. Improved sanitation alone avoids nearly USD 480 million in health costs, reflecting the impact of better waste management. Fisheries interventions deliver the highest return for the money invested, while agroforestry and reforestation generate sustained revenues from crops, fruits, and carbon storage, worth more than USD 320 million. Carbon storage provides over USD 62 million in value, exceeding the programme’s capital costs and highlighting the potential of carbon credits.

By linking ecosystem restoration with economic opportunity, the climate smart agroforestry programme offers Kisumu County a scalable pathway to climate resilience and sustainable development. It supports Kenya’s Vision 2030 and National Adaptation Plan and provides a replicable model for other counties across Lake Victoria and East Africa.