Harnessing Collective Intelligence for Climate Action

Water scarcity is a growing problem in Kenya, especially in dry regions like Tana River County. Climate change brings more frequent droughts and floods, stressing the already limited water resources. To address this, UNDP is using a "collective intelligence" approach, by working with diverse partners and combining data from communities, satellites, weather, and government agencies to create a map that will help better manage water resources and respond to climate challenges. 

Our work

Photo Essay

After multiple consultative sessions and building on the insights gained from the climate security pilot project in Tana River County, the UNDP Kenya Accelerator Lab has identified a potential use case for collective intelligence to anticipate, monitor and adapt to systemic risks within the context of water scarcity.

Blogs

WATER, the silvery mother of life

Climate change, however, has exposed residents to security concerns such as increased competition over natural resources and loss of livelihoods. It is these adverse effects of climate change on peace and security that led to the Accelerator Lab’s involvement in a pilot project aimed at reducing climate-related security risks.

Harnessing Collective Intelligence To Tackle The Challenge Of Water Scarcity In Tana River County

The Tana River Delta is one of Kenya’s most important wetlands, providing farmland and dry season pastures for local communities. In the Tana River basin, the frequency of droughts has increased from once every 10 years to once every 5 years resulting in devastating impacts on the local communities, who rely on the river for drinking water, irrigation, and fishing.

Empowering Communities in Kenya: The Rise of Community Data Stewards in Shaping Sustainable Development

In the heart of Kipini West ward, Tana River County, Salim Doyo’s mission to map water points took a transformative turn when he discovered a dormant borehole. Determined to restore its functionality, Salim not only documented its attributes but also managed to track down the developer, catalysing a remarkable chain of events which led to the repair of the borehole.