Keep updated with, and share the latest news from, about and of interest to community agency networks (CANs) and community groups' activism for climate, environment and many other sustainability topics across Kenya.
Rooting Together, Grassroots Economics and Aude Peronne, grassecon.substack.com (Aug 29, 2025) — Life, Culture, and Commitment in Our Village
From Kenya to Colombia, Field notes from Mnyumbuni exchange program, Grassroots Economics, Juan Lucio, and Aude Peronne, grassecon.substack.com (Aug 11, 2025)
France, Spain among countries to agree to tax premium flyers, private jets, reuters.com (Jun 30, 2025)
Growing Community Wealth with Sarafu.Network: My Story, grassecon.substack.com (May 25, 2025)
Gen Z on how to save the world: young climate activists speak out, The Guardian (Oct 17, 2021) — Features activists from Philippines, Australia, India, US, Uganda, Pakistan, Peru, Indonesia, United Kingdom, Ireland, France, Germany, Kenya and Canada
2016-2020
Nashulai: The community trying to conserve Kenya's wildlife, Jan 29, 2020...BBC News
Mapping local knowledge to regenerate lands in climate-changed times, Nov 29, 2019...From Poverty to Power
Thriving communities and thriving ecosystems through the bee, Jan 22, 2018...transitionnetwork.org
Grassroots Economics: Complementary Currencies for community resilience in Kenya, Feb 22, 2017...@SeedsGA
Solar Power Helps Raise Income Levels In Kenya, Dec 17, 2016...@CleanTechnica
The world's largest experiment in giving people free money launches in October — here's how it'll work, Sep 26, 2016...@BIUK_Finance
2014-2015
How I turned Sh150,000 savings into a 16 Million farming business, November 22, 2015...bizna.co.ke
Africa's largest windfarm set to connect remote Kenya to the grid, Ocotber 9, 2015...The Guardian
Young Kenyan Sees Permaculture Seeding Peace, August 19, 2015...Huffington Post
Kenyan Pastoralists Fighting Climate Change Through Food Forests, ipsnews.net, July 30, 2015.
The startup that's powering rural Africa with affordable, smart microgrids, May 13, 2015...techrepublic.com
86.5 percent of the new jobs in Kenya last year were off-the-books and informal, 2014...stealth of nations
Kenya to generate over half of its electricity through solar power by 2016, theguardian.com, January 17, 2014.
2008-2011
Africa's largest Geothermal Power Station, Olkaria generates over 150 Megawatts (MW) into the national grid, with Kenya aiming for 1200 MW by 2018, unep.org, April 2, 2011
2010 SEED Award Winners, unep.org, 3 November, 2010
"Backpack Farm Agriculture Program". This initiative enables food autonomy for rural communities by providing small landholders with a dynamic set of agricultural tools, comprehensive training and monitoring - delivered and distributed in a canvas backpack.
"Papyrus Reeds, Our Future Hope" is a sustainable enterprise that harvests and processes papyrus reeds and crafts them into high-quality baskets, purses, carpets, chairs, sleeping mats and blankets, using the waste as natural manure. Community-based youth organizations and a local research institution implement the initiative.
"Solanterns: Replacing 1 Million Kerosene Lanterns with 1 Million Solar Lanterns". The partners of this innovative initiative are a private company, a local NGO and a microfinance institution that provide economic, environmental and health benefits to both rural and urban households by sourcing and distributing solar lanterns and training youth micro-entrepreneurs.
"Community-Based Medicinal Plant Enterprise for Biodiversity Conservation". This pioneering enterprise initiated by a community-based organisation and national and international government and research institutions generates alternative means of income and awareness for the value of biodiversity within rural communities based on the commercial cultivation and processing of indigenous medicinal plants.
"Village Cereal Aggregation Centres (VCAC)". A local commercial entity has joined forces with the national government, the financial sector and cereal buyers to establish mobile post-harvest management centres in villages - enabling farmers to deliver high-quality grain to the market value chain and encouraging more participation of youth in cereal production.
"EcoPost - Fencing Posts from Recycled Post-Consumer Waste Plastic". International and national NGOs have launched this unique initiative to recycle waste plastic into aesthetic, durable and environmentally-friendly fencing posts and consequently reduce plastic litter on streets and open fields. By providing an alternative fencing material to traditional wood, EcoPost contributes towards the conservation of forests.
"Commercialization of Prosopis Juliflora Products from Affected Areas". A local community-based NGO, the FAO and a Kenyan company and research institute have mobilized efforts to control the undesirable spread of the Prosopis tree by promoting its commercial use as charcoal, timber and pods for livestock feed. The development of a sustainable national market will maximize returns to local communities.
20,000 tree seedlings planted in the Kiptunga area of the Mau Forest Complex, Kenya, 15 January,, 2010...United Nations Environment Programme, January 15. Mau, the largest indigenous forest in East Africa and Kenya's most vital water tower, covers some 270,000 hectares. After Mau, restoration will also take place in Mt. Kenya, Aberdares, Mt. Elgon and the rest of Kenya's forests and water catchment areas with the aim of increasing the forest cover from the current 1.7 percent to 10 percent by the year 2020.
Kenya to build Africa's biggest windfarm, The Guardian, July 27, 2009
Kenya: Devastating drought worsens human-wildlife conflict, Global Voices online, July 20, 2009. Kenya is experiencing the worst drought in more than a decade according to the country's meteorological department. This drought has been felt throughout the country, but it is more visible among the Maasai community who's primary source of livelihood is cattle.
"MakaaZingira" produces FSC certified charcoal for conservation and livelihood creation. A national NGO, a community-based organisation and a small business network aim to establish a sustainable eco-charcoal production model, helping small scale farmers to replace unsustainable practices while also bringing social benefits.
"Integrated plastics recovery and recycling flagship project". A project carried out by a large and a small business in partnership with a national NGO, aiming to offer the most viable option to recycling of dirty polythenes into plastic poles. It works to improve and strengthen livelihood assets for poor and marginalised youth and women.
Kenya, Malawi, Tanzania and Zambia: "Sunny Money - solar micro-franchising". International NGOs and community-based organizations in Kenya, Malawi, Tanzania and Zambia have created a micro-franchise named Sunny Money, which recruits, trains and supports a growing network of solar entrepreneurs in East Africa, especially deaf and disabled people, helping them build and sell solar kits to power lights, radios and mobile phones.
Extensive forest fires are affecting several of Kenya's key moisture reservoirs including the 400,000-hectare Mau Forest Complex, Kenya's largest forest and the source of water for at least twelve rivers...United Nations Environment Programme, March 25, 2009. Important Rift Valley Lakes, including Lake Victoria, the source of the River Nile, depend on the rivers which are fed from the forest. Noor Hassan Noor, the Rift Valley Provincial Commissioner said that between 25 and 35 per cent of the eastern Mau forest has been lost so far as a result of the fire
Bees, Community, and Shared Futures, grassecon.substack.com (Nov 20, 2025)