The environment is an increasingly important issue in development, as those living below the poverty line directly rely on the water and land resources surrounding their communities. With only 8 percent of arable land and 75 percent of Kenya's workforce engaged in agriculture, Kenyan farmers face growing problems of soil erosion, deforestation, water pollution, and desertification. The recent drought in 2006—the most severe in independent Kenya's history—devastated the country, leaving 3.5 million people with barely enough food to survive. Meanwhile, in northern Kenya, pastoralists have lost their herds to starvation and conflicting tensions are mounting over scarce water resources.

While global warming may be responsible for Kenya's severe droughts, current farming practices are also leading to the growth of environmental problems. Rampant pesticide use contaminates water resources while food production has declined due to soil erosion. Weaning farmers off of unsustainable methods is a difficult task in any circumstance, much less during times of economic desperation. Farming and daily life are also complicated by sharing the land with abundant wildlife. Human-wildlife conflicts have been increasing as most of Kenya's traditional nomadic tribes are settling onto permanent plots of land and taking up farming. Wildlife is integral to the ecosystem, let alone Kenya's well-known tourism industry. Securing the conservation of native flora and fauna is critical to the region's future on a number of levels.

In 2004, Kenya made international headlines when one of its own won the prestigious Nobel Peace Prize. Wangari Maathai, the first Kenyan woman to earn a Ph.D. in East Africa, was also the first African woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize in the seldom recognized field of the environment. She was recognized for her work as founder of the Green Belt Movement, a non-governmental organization that empowers women to take ownership of their environment by planting trees to combat deforestation while providing fuel wood and food.

Sustainable agriculture, water and waste management, environmental conservation, and environmental education are just a few areas in which FSD partner organizations work. By contributing technical expertise, new ideas, and creative solutions, FSD interns and volunteers are able to partake in a crucial aspect of Kenya's development.

Read more about Environment programs and opportunities initiated by our Community Partners in Kenya.

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