Driving change from the ground up: Kenya’s path to community-driven integrated landscape management and value chain transformation

As part of its efforts to deepen the impact of its work on the ground, the GEF-7 Dryland Sustainable Landscapes Impact Program (DSL-IP) is partnering with Forest and Farm Producer Organizations (FFPOs) in Southern Africa, using their strong social networks to better connect sustainable land management, business planning, and crop diversification from the farm level to entire landscapes.

Recognizing the significant role played by FFPOs, a virtual training was held on 30 June 2025 to equip representatives from the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization, the Kenya Forest Service, and the National Environment Management Authority with tools and techniques for assessing FFPOs. 

Building on lessons learned from the DSL-IP, the training was formally conducted under the FAO-supported Food Systems, Land Use and Restoration Impact Program (FOLUR), a USD 345 million, seven-year initiative funded by the Global Environment Facility, and led by the World Bank. 

The training included representatives from the DSL-IP Kenya, reflecting the strong operational link between the two global programs, as well as participants from Uganda’s National Environment Management Authority. Their involvement helped catalyze cross-country learning, and lay the groundwork for replication, collaboration, and transboundary action across – by Kenya and Uganda across the Mount Elgon Ecosystem. Through scenario-based exercises, surveys, and interactive Q&A sessions, the training fostered a dynamic, multi-directional flow of knowledge, not only from trainers to trainees but also across institutions from both countries.

Participants praised the training’s clarity, interactive format, and practical relevance, highlighting its potential to foster cross-sectoral collaboration and scale impact.

Why FFPOs assessment matters

Comprising smallholder farmers, forest and water resource users, Indigenous Peoples, local economic actors, and their communities, FFPOs represent a vital yet often underutilized form of social capital. Their collective action, social cohesion, trust-building networks participatory governance, and deep-rooted local knowledge position them as essential partners in restoring degraded landscapes, building sustainable value chain, and enhancing rural livelihoods.

With this in mind, Kenya has adopted FAO’s FFPO Assessment methodology under the FOLUR Participatory Informed Landscape Approach (PILA). This structured, evidence-based approach empowers government institutions to:

• Identify strategic entry points and set priorities for FFPO engagement in key landscapes and value chains.
• Maintain reliable, up-to-date data on community-level partners; and
• Design inclusive, locally driven capacity-building programs aligned with national and global goals.

The approach is particularly relevant for the Mt. Elgon Ecosystem, where severe trends of land degradation, poverty, climate change, and declining agricultural productivity threaten the livelihoods of over 2 million people, including 80 percent natural resource-dependent communities and 18 000 Indigenous Peoples. 

By leveraging FFPOs’ collective strength, this approach promotes bottom-up, participatory solutions for integrated landscape management, restoration of degraded lands, and transformation of coffee and maize production systems into sustainable value chains. 

These efforts are expected to ultimately advance global environmental benefits and improve rural livelihoods, aligning with both FOLUR’s objectives and DSL-IP’s vision for resilient, inclusive landscapes.

Scalable model for inclusive transformation

Kenya’s approach goes beyond training. It represents a first strategic scaling of the DSL-IP FFPO Assessment methodology through FOLUR, offering a blueprint for operationalizing inclusive, bottom-up strategies that align global and national goals with local realities. By applying the learning outcomes from the training, Kenya is setting a precedent for cross-sectoral, community-centered transformation of food and land use systems under FOLUR, strengthening synergies and systemic impact across program and countries. 

The model offers scalable solutions for:

• Enhancing transparency and accountability in setting priorities for local stakeholder involvement.
• Grounding decisions in verifiable data and local realities, ensuring relevance and responsiveness.
• Designing community-centered, impact-oriented capacity-building programs.
• Maximizing impact through trackable baselines and outcome monitoring, enabling evidence-based planning and reporting.