Kenya – A Sustainable Food Banking Strategy for methane mitigation

RATIONALE

This project responds to a request made by Kenya’s Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Forestry to establish a sustainable and scalable food banking system that addresses both environmental and social challenges.  

Kenya generates between 3,000 to 4,000 tons of waste per day; approximately 8  million tons annually of which 70% is organic waste (Min of Environment and Forestry,2021). The initiative introduces a structured approach to food recovery and redistribution, targeting surplus food from across the agricultural value chain. The goal is to prevent food waste, a significant contributor to methane emissions, and to enhance food and nutrition security for vulnerable populations, whilst contributing to national climate action through the reduction of short-lived climate pollutants such as methane.

The project focuses on aggregating edible surplus food and channelling it to Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE) and Day Care Centers, particularly in underserved areas of the Lake Region Economic Bloc (LREB), starting with Kisumu, Vihiga, and Siaya counties. These institutions are crucial for child development and present a controlled environment for delivering nutritious meals. In parallel, the project will conduct baseline assessments to map existing food banking initiatives, analyze the nutritional status of ECDE beneficiaries, and identify opportunities for policy support to integrate food banking into local governance frameworks.

Food waste is a significant contributor to methane emissions. By diverting organic waste from landfills and promoting food recovery, the project supports Kenya’s commitment to the Global Methane Pledge, and advances circular economy principles, reducing the environmental burden of waste while maximizing the social value of surplus food.  

The initiative will build on existing efforts such as those of the Global Food Banking Network and involve government, private sector, and community partners to ensure long-term viability.

Through a phased implementation strategy, the project will begin in three pilot counties and expand to 13 additional counties, with the ambition of scaling nationally. A dedicated monitoring and evaluation framework will track progress on food waste reduction, methane mitigation, and child nutrition outcomes. This project will lead to a more resilient, inclusive, and low-emissions food system in Kenya—one that nourishes both people and the planet.

The proposed project should build on CCAC-funded project ‘Kenya - National planning on short-lived climate pollutants’.  

Activities

Outcome 1: The Government of Kenya has increased knowledge and capacity on opportunities for organic waste diversion, agriculture recovery and food sharing opportunities by the end of the project.

Indicator: Number of government entities with a demonstrated improved capacity for SLCP action

• Output 1.1: Pre-feasibility studies for organic waste treatment and diversion options for food to be sourced as donations in 14 counties, including:
• Output 1.2: Estimates of decentralized infrastructure supporting diverted organic waste
• Output 1.3: Recommendations for alternative/complementary infrastructure to support organic waste diversion and circular economies.
• Output 1.4: A report identifying necessary infrastructure and investment to support organic waste management (i.e. redistribution of food that otherwise would be discarded to people in need.)
• Output 1.5: Capacity Building Workshops for stakeholders working on organic waste management for food recovery
  • Training on the comprehension, analysis, development, and monitoring of projects in organic waste management. Include teaching of tools for cost-benefit analysis (private and social), including the quantification of CO2 and SLCPs emission mitigation and how to design and evaluate the implementation of organic waste initiatives.
  • Develop training materials, manuals, and case studies tailored to Kenya's context , different stakeholders and a specific focus on the identified food recovery projects.
  • Development of project communication materials to disseminate results and share lessons learned.
• Output 1.6: Technical Assistance for stakeholders working on organic waste management for food recovery
  • Provide technical assistance to government entities for the implementation of SLCP reduction measures
  • Facilitate knowledge-sharing platforms, online forums, and webinars among government entities and other stakeholders  to share experiences and challenges.
  • Establishment of collaborative partnerships for food waste collection and sorting systems as crucial for the effective management and reduction of food waste.  
  • Identify and engage relevant stakeholders who can contribute to or benefit from food waste collection and sorting systems. Key stakeholders may include local governments, waste management agencies, businesses, nonprofit organizations, community groups, and food producers. Effective collaboration is key to co-creating a sustainable and comprehensive solution to this challenge.

Outcome 2: Kenya County governments are guided by newly developed regulatory frameworks and implementation guidelines to achieve organic waste management goals through food banking by the end of the project.

Indicator: Number of laws, regulations, or other policy mechanisms with SLCP targets or mitigation measures formally adopted, endorsed, and/or implemented  

• Output 2.1: Regulations that guide county governments to meet organic waste management goals in alignment with the national and international commitments.
• Output 2.2:  Training sessions on Food Banking and how it improves methane mitigation conducted for all relevant stakeholders: staff, volunteers, schools, ECDE groups and community members.  

Outcome 3: The Government of Kenya endorses Food banking and Agriculture recovery demonstration projects for food recovery by the end of the project or soon after.

Indicator: Number of SLCP mitigation tools, technologies, or practices adopted.

• Output 3.1: Identification of at least 5 Food banking projects, backed by existing framework such as the FRAME methodology to quantify methane emission impact, with business potential, with a focus on methane mitigation. The identification should be based on an assessment of:
  • Project name  
  • Sector  
  • Description  
  • Outcomes  
  • Implementing entities
  • Stakeholders  
  • Link to policies, plans  
  • General timeline for Development, Financing,  
  • Implementation, and  Operation  
  • Mitigation potential  
  • Co-benefits  
  • Investment needs  
  • Potential business model, financing strategy
  • Gaps and barriers to implementation and proposed enabling mechanisms
  • Financial sustainability
  • Potential financing partners  
  • Enabling, Capacity Building and Technical Assistance Needs  
  • Information and MRV Needs  
  • Recovery of nutritious food waste  
• Output 3.2: Stakeholders convened and engaged on selection of at least 5 food recovery projects/ initiatives to identify financial opportunities.
• Output 3.3: Design a plan to support at least 5 selected projects in coordination with public and private institutions. This plan should include the identifications for financial opportunities.
• Output 3.4: Workshop delivered to key stakeholders, from the financial sector, local and national governments, private sector to identify ways to make financial instruments available to finance organic waste management projects (i.e. food recovery projects).  

Outcome 4: Counties and municipalities endorse a roadmap for food banking, based on workshop findings, to establish financial instruments within the financial sector by the end of the project.  

Indicator: Number of action plans, roadmaps, strategies, or other future plans with SLCP targets or mitigation measures formally adopted, endorsed and/or implemented

• Output 4.1: Evaluation and analysis of policies to mitigate Short-Lived Climate Pollutants (SLCPs) from organic waste and prioritize actions for their implementation in the short, medium, and long term. The evaluation and analysis should include:
  • Evaluation of potential measures and policies to mitigate SLCPs from organic waste.
  • Prioritization of policy actions based on speed and impact, for immediate and long-term implementation, taking into account the following:
  • Short- and long-term priorities based on speed, impact
  • Recommended policy interventions
  • Estimated cost
  • Responsible parties
  • Progress indicators and monitoring approaches
  • Development of a resource mobilization plan identifying possible international and national funding sources to effectively implement the national organic waste management strategy
  • Short- and long-term priorities based on speed, impact.
  • Recommended policy interventions
  • Estimated cost
  • Responsible parties
  • Progress indicators and monitoring approaches
  • Development of a resource mobilisation plan identifying possible international and national funding sources to effectively implement the national organic waste management strategy
• Output 4.2: A roadmap for financial instruments in organic waste management. The roadmap should include:
  • Identification and assessment of financial instruments
  • A roadmap that suits the specific needs and characteristics of the food recovery projects identified for Kenta, ensuring that they address key challenges, findings and opportunities identified during the evaluation process
• Output 4.3: Strategies for at least 10 municipalities to reduce emissions from organic waste from Food Loss with specific goals and implementation as well as financial plans to achieve the goals.
• Output 4.4: Detailed implementation plans developed for three county-level food banking projects in Kisumu, Vihiga, and Siaya, including stakeholder engagement strategies, food recovery and distribution systems, infrastructure and logistics requirements, regulatory alignment, monitoring frameworks, and budgeted action plans to guide rollout and scale-up.
• Output 4.5: Event(s) to promote synergies among public-private institutions, get to know technologies and suppliers in to contribute to the implementation of waste management projects.

Reference number: [KE-25-003]  Kenya – A Sustainable Food Banking Strategy for methane mitigation