GCA Commends Homa Bay’s Leadership in Climate Resilience as People’s Adaptation Plan Integrated with County Planning
H
oma Bay, Kenya, 22 July 2025 – The Global Center on Adaptation (GCA) today hailed Homa Bay County’s bold leadership in transforming community-led climate action into official county planning, following a two-day visit by GCA President and CEO Professor Patrick V. Verkooijen to the lakeside county. His visit celebrated the integration of the People’s Adaptation Plan into Homa Bay’s official Local Physical and Land Use Development Plan—a landmark for locally led adaptation in Kenya.
The visit, which included meetings with community leaders, informal traders, youth, and county officials, comes ahead of the formal launch of the People’s Adaptation Plan in August, where Professor Verkooijen will participate in Kenya’s Devolution Conference to showcase the model nationally.
“When I first visited Homa Bay, I was struck by the cruel paradox: families paying five times more for water than those with piped water, only to be submerged in floods during the rainy season,” said Professor Patrick V. Verkooijen. “But here in Homa Bay, the people have led—from mapping flood zones to proposing real solutions. What the county has done is not just adopt a plan—it has institutionalized community wisdom. This is what climate justice looks like in action.”
Led by Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga, and supported by GCA and Akiba Mashinani Trust, the People’s Adaptation Plan was built from the ground up, incorporating first-hand data collected by 298 trained community members. The plan draws on participatory mapping, climate risk assessments, and geospatial tagging, conducted by the community with support from the staff and students of Tom Mboya University, and now serves as a model for integrating adaptation into Kenya’s urban development frameworks.
It was developed to inform investments under the African Development Bank’s Kenya National Urban Water Supply and Sanitation Program, which aims to improve access to water and sanitation services in urban areas, through the African Adaptation Acceleration Program.
“We didn’t need outside experts to tell us where it floods or which families are the most vulnerable,” said Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga. “Our residents told us. They mapped their risks. They highlighted their needs. Our job was to listen—and to act. That’s why we will table the Plan to the County Assembly for formal adoption, as an official physical development blueprint for Homa Bay. It’s about protecting our people and planning a more resilient future.”
The data paints a stark picture. At least 10% of Homa Bay’s population is chronically food insecure due to erratic rains and declining fish stocks. Over 60% rely on fishing and rain-fed farming—livelihoods threatened by rising lake levels and droughts. In informal settlements like Shauri Yako, Sofia and Makongeni, residents face a “poverty penalty” for water—paying up to five times more compared to those with connection to the municipal water supply, for water that is often unsafe. Only 14% of residents have piped water access, and just 6.4% are connected to the county’s sewer system. More than three-quarters rely on shared or informal sanitation, with some waste discharged directly into Lake Victoria.
The People’s Adaptation Plan has turned these inequities into a mandate for change already guiding the County Government’s investments into climate-resilient infrastructure and essential services. Based on priorities identified by residents, it outlines targeted actions to address the acute and growing risks posed by climate change.
To reduce vulnerability to floods and extreme weather, the plan sets out improvements to roads, drainage networks, and critical public spaces—such as raising market stalls and constructing embankments to ensure continued access to schools and clinics during the rainy season. It also mandates the expansion of safe and affordable water access through new kiosks and piped extensions, tackling the steep “poverty penalty” faced by residents in informal settlements who currently pay two to five times more than the official utility rate. The plan supports housing upgrades and secure land tenure for vulnerable households, many of whom live in flood-prone, high-density neighborhoods built from fragile materials. In a bid to reduce emissions and improve health outcomes, the Plan also promotes access to clean cooking solutions and renewable energy, addressing the high dependency on charcoal and firewood which exposes women and children to indoor air pollution and contributes to deforestation.
In recognition of the challenges young people face—including high unemployment and reliance on informal work—the plan also includes support for youth enterprises, vocational training, and livelihood diversification. Community-based flood early warning systems are also being developed to help families anticipate and prepare for climate shocks. Importantly, the plan establishes mechanisms to institutionalize public participation in decision-making, ensuring that climate resilience is not just about infrastructure—but about inclusive, accountable governance that reflects the lived experiences of the community.
“We were involved from the start, in understanding these problems and finding real solutions. We mapped where the floods hit hardest. We gathered the facts, we listened to each other, and we saw the opportunities. This plan is about solutions we built together, from the ground up. For the first time, our voice is not just heard, it’s reflected in the plans shaping our future.” said Jacob Ongow, an elder in the community.
As the GCA prepares to support the County to launch the People’s Adaptation Plan officially in August 2025, it calls on other counties—and the international community—to follow Homa Bay’s lead.
“This is not just a story for Kenya—it’s a global one,” said Anju Sharma, Global Lead, Locally Led Adaptation at GCA. “From the shores of Lake Victoria to vulnerable communities worldwide, Homa Bay shows us that when the people most affected by climate change are empowered to lead, we can actually ensure that each voice counts and we leave no one behind, and make meaningful progress towards achieving the Global Goal on Adaptation.”
Notes to Editors
About the Global Center on Adaptation
The Global Center on Adaptation (GCA) is an international organization that promotes adaptation to the impacts of climate change. It works to climate-proof development by instigating policy reforms and influencing investments made by international financial institutions and the private sector. The goal is to bring climate adaptation to the forefront of the global fight against climate change and ensure that it remains prominent. Founded in 2018, GCA embodies innovation in its approach to climate adaptation as well as in its physical presence. It operates from the largest floating office in the world, in Rotterdam, the Netherlands and is currently building a new headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya. This will make GCA the first international organization to maintain dual headquarters in both the Global North and South—underscoring the equal partnership between both regions and recognizing that climate adaptation solutions must be co-designed and co-owned. GCA has a worldwide network of regional offices in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire; Dhaka, Bangladesh; and Beijing, China.
