Financing Resilient Landscapes: Catalyzing Partnerships for Irrigation, Land Reclamation, and Climate Resilience in Africa’s Arid & Semi-Arid Regions

In Kenya, the State Department for Irrigation (SDI) is implementing the National Irrigation Sector Investment Plan (NISIP), a long-term framework that reimagines irrigation through five transformative pathways:

1. Farmer-led irrigation
2. Expansion in arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs)
3. Revitalization of public schemes
4. Corporate investment
5. Community-based models

Central to this plan is the Mapping of Community Based Irrigation Schemes (MCBIS), a data-driven initiative supported by AGRA. MCBIS is designed to develop a comprehensive digital inventory of irrigation schemes, capturing their spatial locations, functionality, infrastructure status, and potential for climate-smart investments.

The initiative aims to build an evidence base that will enable policymakers, investors, and development partners to coordinate resources more efficiently, target investments, and enhance water productivity in dryland regions. At COP30, Kenya and AGRA will present the MCBIS concept to the international community, invite partners to co-develop and scale the framework, and explore opportunities for technical collaboration and co-financing to enhance resilience in Africa’s Arid & Semi-Arid Lands.

Programme:

Opening and Framing (10 min):

• Joel Tanui, Secretary, Land Reclamation, Climate Resilience & Irrigation, SDI
  • Context Setting: Irrigation and land reclamation as key adaptation strategies for Africa’s drylands
  • Statement: NISIP priorities and the MCBIS as an innovative tool for investment planning
  • Recap: Outcomes from the Africa Climate Summit (ACS2025) and how COP30 advances the agenda

High-Level Panel Discussion: Financing Data- Driven Irrigation for Resilient Landscapes (40 min):

• Community Based Irrigation Mapping (MCBIS) as a national and regional decision-support platform
• Financing pathways: climate funds, blended finance, and
  private sector investment
• Land reclamation and dryland restoration models
• Scaling solar-powered and farmer-led irrigation
• Youth and women as innovators in climate-resilient
  agriculture

Partner Reflections and Commitments (20 min):

Interactive dialogue with partners and potential investors on opportunities for collaboration and resource mobilization to support the MCBI initiative.

Panel discussion with government representatives (20 min):

• Senegal Ministry of Water
• Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs OR European Union
• Bangladesh

Closing Call to Action (5 min)