From conversations to collective action: Socially inclusive approaches to locally led adaptation in Baringo County, Kenya

This working paper documents the achievements, challenges, and ranked priorities of collectives in Baringo County, Kenya. This innovation builds on a broader effort, begun in 2023, that used gender-transformative and sociotechnical approaches to support inclusive, locally led climate adaptation, resulting in the formation of nine new groups comprising roughly 130 members, mostly women. The paper details each site's group trends, governance practices, meeting structures, savings systems, and climate-smart agricultural priorities, highlighting recurring challenges such as drought, financial constraints, and uneven access to training. Both sites demonstrate growing but uneven capacities. The priorities translate into specific recommendations that will directly inform a mentorship curriculum co-designed with GROOTS Kenya champions and group members to build governance, organizational, and adaptation capacities across the 15 groups involved.