GROOTS Kenya is redefining development by placing grassroots women at the forefront of food systems, land rights, and climate action.
Through a powerful, community-led approach, the organisation is ensuring that women, who are often excluded from decision-making spaces, are not just participants, but leaders shaping sustainable futures. This model is increasingly critical as the country confronts climate change, food insecurity, and persistent gender inequalities in access to land and resources.
At a recent Seeds of Justice side event, grassroots champion Wairimu Kanyiri brought these issues into focus, highlighting systemic gaps that continue to sideline women farmers.
She pointed out that research conducted in rural communities is often not shared back with the people it is meant to benefit, creating mistrust and disconnect. Even more concerning, she emphasised how language barriers prevent many women from accessing vital agricultural knowledge, which is frequently disseminated in English rather than local languages. Her message underscored a simple but urgent truth: information meant for communities must be accessible, inclusive, and responsive to their realities.
Founded in 1995, GROOTS Kenya champions women’s land and property rights, helping them secure ownership and protect themselves from disinheritance and land grabbing. It promotes climate-smart agriculture by integrating indigenous knowledge with sustainable farming practices, enabling communities to adapt to changing environmental conditions.
At the same time, it strengthens local food systems by supporting women farmers throughout the value chain and encouraging resilience through agroecology and seed sovereignty. Equally important is its investment in grassroots women’s leadership, ensuring they have the skills, platforms, and confidence to influence policy and governance at local, national, and global levels.
To translate these priorities into action, GROOTS Kenya has developed several impactful initiatives. Its Community Land Watch Dog Groups play a critical role in monitoring land rights violations, raising legal awareness, and supporting women to secure land tenure.
Through Women-Led Climate Action programs, grassroots women are trained to implement practical adaptation solutions such as water harvesting, agroecology, and sustainable land management.
The Seeds of Justice Campaign advances women farmers’ economic and land rights while pushing for climate justice, amplifying voices like Wairimu’s on global platforms. Meanwhile, the Grassroots Academy equips women with leadership, advocacy, and community organising skills, building a pipeline of local leaders who can drive change from within.
The organisation’s influence is further strengthened through partnerships with global institutions such as UN Women and the Food and Agriculture Organisation, among others. These collaborations help elevate grassroots perspectives into international policy discussions, ensuring that solutions are informed by lived experiences rather than top-down assumptions.
The impact of GROOTS Kenya’s work is both tangible and transformative. By shifting power to communities, the organisation is strengthening resilience at the grassroots level, improving household food security, advancing gender equality, and rebuilding trust between communities and institutions. In doing so, it offers a compelling model for inclusive development—one in which sustainable solutions are not imposed but co-created with the people most affected.
As Kenya and the broader African continent navigate an uncertain climate future, GROOTS Kenya stands as a powerful reminder that real change begins at the grassroots. And when women are empowered with knowledge, resources, and leadership opportunities, they don’t just adapt to challenges—they lead the way forward.
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