King of Lesotho to tour Taita's climate farming initiatives

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The King of Lesotho arrived in Kenya on Sunday ahead of an official agricultural field visit to Taita Taveta County.

King Letsie III will explore innovative farming practices that can strengthen the county’s food security.

He is expected to tour various agricultural projects showcasing climate-smart and traditional farming technologies that have been developed to improve food production amid increasingly erratic weather patterns.

The King serves as the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) ambassador for the continental food programme.

He will be accompanied by several Cabinet Secretaries, national and county government officials, IFRC Secretary General Jagan Chapagain, and Kenya Red Cross Society (KRCS) Secretary General Dr Ahmed Idris.

“KRCS and IFRC are thankful to the African Union Food Ambassadors visit to give global attention to its innovative agricultural programme aimed at boosting community resilience through local-based solutions,”

The visit is scheduled for July 28, 2026, and is part of an innovative traditional food programme being championed by the KRCS and the IFRC.

The initiative seeks to promote African-led, community-driven solutions to the continent's growing food crisis, which has been worsened by climate change, conflict and economic pressures.

The situation is expected to worsen during the October-December rainy season, when forecasts indicate the likelihood of El Niño conditions.

Kenya remains heavily dependent on rain-fed agriculture, leaving millions vulnerable to food shortages whenever seasonal rains fail.

Agricultural experts have called for a shift from short-term humanitarian responses to long-term investments in climate resilience, sustainable agriculture, financing and partnerships to strengthen food systems.

During the visit, King Letsie III will tour rice farming projects and a rice processing plant in Taita Taveta.

He will also visit sunflower farming projects and witness demonstrations on sunflower oil production and other climate-smart farming technologies in the county.

Studies and documentation show farming in Taita Taveta County is shifting toward climate adaptation, featuring strong growth in organic banana and macadamia value chains, alongside challenges from erratic rainfall and heavy reliance on rain-fed systems.

The county boasts of mixed farming and dairy production, practised mainly in the high-potential Taita hills and wetter zones, though vulnerable to dry spells.

Though irrigation has been adopted in the production of staple and horticultural crops, it is limited.

Taita Taveta is adopting drought-Tolerant Farming, which entails growing of sorghum, millet, green grams, pigeon peas, and sunflowers across drier lowlands

The county became a pioneer in exporting certified organic bananas, raising local incomes and productivity.

 There is increased public-private support in local processing equipment, a solar-powered sunflower oil refinery, and free or subsidized seedlings

King Letsie III’s visit comes at a time when Kenya is grappling with worsening food insecurity, as unpredictable rainfall and prolonged dry spells continue to affect agricultural production.

In Rift Valley, Kenya’s food basket, farmers are grappling with losses following poor maize production.

Livestock farming is also affected due to lack of adequate pasture, with hundreds of stock reported to die dueing prolonged drought, leaving farmers counting losses.

The King is expected to attend a graduation ceremony at a Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institution, where he will observe demonstrations on the Galla goat, chicken and sunflower value chains.

He will also be introduced to the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in agricultural innovation and modern farming technologies.