Leafy Eco Adapt (LEA) was officially registered as a non-governmental organization (NGO) on 17th June 2025, 

formalizing years of grassroots work in environmental adaptation and food security within local communities. Even before registration, LEA had been actively involved in community-driven programs that align with its mission to promote environmental sustainability and adaptation to climate change.

One of LEA’s most impactful early interventions was the reclamation of degraded land in South East Nyakach Ward, Nyakach Sub-County, Kisumu County, Kenya, an area previously exploited for brick-making. Through community mobilization and ecological restoration, the once-barren land has been transformed into a productive hub for food cultivation, tree planting, water conservation (via dams), and livelihood activities. These efforts have empowered women and youth through capacity-building trainings, small grants, and sustainable income-generating initiatives.

LEA was founded on the conviction that food security, the right of every individual to access sufficient, safe, and nutritious food is fundamentally linked to environmental sustainability, which ensures that the natural resources needed for food production are preserved for future generations. The organization recognizes the direct relationship between environmental degradation and food insecurity, and the cyclical impact unsustainable agricultural practices have on ecosystems.

To break this cycle, LEA designs and implements community-based, integrated programs that focus on:

• Sustainable agriculture and climate-resilient food systems
• Promotion of nutrition education and food sovereignty
• Rehabilitation and conservation of natural resources
• Youth and women empowerment through green economy initiatives

Since its inception, LEA has remained committed to creating a balance between environmental protection and human well-being, ensuring that vulnerable communities are not only equipped to withstand climate shocks but are also active participants in shaping a sustainable and food-secure future. At the same time, climate change is intensifying the frequency and severity of droughts, floods, and other extreme weather events, further threatening local livelihoods and food systems. These challenges disproportionately affect women, youth, and marginalized communities, who often lack the resources, knowledge, and support to adapt effectively.

There is also a limited integration of sustainable agricultural practices and climate adaptation strategies at the grassroots level, leading to short-term coping mechanisms that worsen long-term vulnerabilities. Despite national efforts to promote food and environmental security, many rural communities remain excluded from these processes, lacking technical support, financial access, and policy representation. This situation creates a vicious cycle where environmental degradation leads to food insecurity, and unsustainable food production further damaging the environment. The lack of community-based, inclusive, and innovative interventions threatens both the ecological health of the region and the socio- economic well-being of its residents.

Leafy Eco Adapt (LEA) was established to directly respond to these interconnected issues by designing and implementing solutions that promote climate resilience, environmental regeneration, and food security, while empowering local communities particularly youth, women and persons living with disabilities (PLWDs), as agents of change.