Nairobi — Experts have called for sustained and structured youth funding to anchor Kenya's climate resilience agenda, warning that without long-term investment in young innovators, the country risks deepening economic losses linked to climate change.
Speaking during Capital FM's Climate and Sustainability Breakfast held at Karura Forest in Nairobi, policymakers, financiers and ecosystem builders said climate change is already reshaping Kenya's economic outlook, from food systems and insurance pricing to jobs, capital markets and national competitiveness.
Capital FM Managing Director Symon Bargurei said the climate crisis must be treated as an urgent economic and governance issue rather than an abstract environmental concern.
"Kenya is expected to lose 3-5 percent of its GDP to climate-related shocks annually, including drought, floods and climate-related risks. Across Africa, adaptation costs are projected between 30 and 50 million per year by the year 2030, yet funding remains significantly below what is required,"he said.
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"Conversations actually can get young people to access not just money, but resources, resources both financially, but also technical, getting young people into systems.
He noted that climate shocks are already disrupting agricultural productivity, straining public finances and driving up the cost of doing business.
Food systems and economic stability
Panelists underscored that food systems remain among the most vulnerable sectors.
Recurrent droughts and erratic rainfall have pushed up food prices, reduced farm output and increased reliance on imports, undermining household incomes and macroeconomic stability.
They argued that empowering youth-led agribusinesses and climate-smart enterprises could strengthen local food value chains, improve productivity and cushion communities against supply disruptions.
Beyond agriculture, climate risks are increasingly influencing insurance pricing and capital markets.
Rising exposure to floods and drought is prompting insurers to adjust premiums upward, while investors are incorporating climate risk assessments into portfolio decisions.
This shift, experts said, means that countries failing to invest in resilience could face higher borrowing costs and reduced investor confidence.
Rethinking philanthropy and community finance
Paul Kaluki,Youth and Climate Justice expert emphasized the need to move beyond short-term grants and instead build lasting business models for young climate innovators.
"We need to get out of there, bigger cities, going to the communities,if you first build their capacity, give them grants, and then mentor them across the years, you'll be surprised these young people actually end up creating social enterprises that break the funding cycle," he said.
Kaluki pointed out that traditional philanthropy often funds youth groups temporarily, only for them to return seeking support after two or three years.
"So how do you meet the funding demand? You need to find the people. You need to allow the people the flexibility to design what systems, what projects, and what works they want implemented," he added.
He said equipping young people with skills in landscape restoration and climate justice projects, while helping them develop viable enterprises, could transform them from grant recipients into sustainable job creators.
Patient capital and sustainable finance
Village Capital Senior Associate Njeri Wakaba said climate entrepreneurs require patient capital long-term financing that allows startups time to test and refine their business models.
"Entrepreneurs are the ones who are going beyond theory, and they're the ones who are building their solutions. So not just policies. A big part of the work that we do at Village Capital is matching entrepreneurs with the right capital," Wakaba said.
She noted that renewable energy, circular economy and climate-tech startups often require extended timelines to validate products and achieve profitability.
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"They require a lot of time to validate their business model, to test their pilots, to iterate.We're looking for investors who can understand these startups need this sort of patient capital."
Jobs, competitiveness and long-term growth
Participants said scaling youth-led climate enterprises could unlock thousands of green jobs while positioning Kenya as a regional leader in sustainable finance and innovation.
They stressed that aligning public policy, private capital and youth entrepreneurship would not only reduce vulnerability to climate shocks but also strengthen Kenya's global competitiveness.
With climate-related losses already weighing on GDP, experts concluded that sustained youth funding,blending grants, concessional finance and patient investment will be critical in building resilient communities, stabilizing food systems and safeguarding the country's long-term economic future.
