For over three decades, global climate negotiations have laid the groundwork for a more resilient future. With frameworks like the Sharm El Sheikh Joint Work on Agriculture, countries have acknowledged the urgent need to transform agrifood systems in the face of escalating climate risks. Kenya, like many others, has translated this ambition into national commitments, through its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), National Adaptation Plan (NAP), and sector-specific climate strategies.
But as global conversations now shift from negotiation to implementation, one question has become unavoidable: where does the private sector fit in?
Kenya’s livestock sector, responsible for millions of livelihoods and a key pillar of rural and urban food security, continues to bear the brunt of climate change. In 2023 alone, over 2.6 million livestock were lost to prolonged drought, degraded rangelands, and disease outbreaks. While policy commitments have been made, the implementation gap remains wide, and investment in livestock adaptation remains notably low.
The truth is, public finance alone cannot deliver on Kenya’s adaptation priorities. Nor can governments scale innovations fast enough to match the pace of climate disruption. What’s needed now is strategic, climate-aligned private sector investment, not as a replacement for public funds, but as a critical partner in driving innovation, risk-sharing, and resilience.
Climate-smart livestock systems i.e., improved feeds, digital risk tools, veterinary services, and drought-resilient infrastructure, are no longer experimental. They are investable. And they are essential.
This is the rationale behind the upcoming Private Sector Breakfast Meeting on 20th November 2025, convened by AGNES, the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ). The meeting brings together financial institutions, agribusiness leaders, and policymakers to explore the investment opportunities and barriers in Kenya’s livestock systems, with the aim of crowding in sustainable adaptation finance.
As implementation takes center stage in climate diplomacy, it is clear that resilience is no longer just a public mandate, it’s a shared responsibility. For the private sector, this moment offers more than alignment with policy. It offers a chance to be part of the solution, while unlocking long-term value.