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Climate change poses significant risks to food security globally with predictions of 10-20  %  decline  in  rain-fed  crop  yields  by  2050. Sub-Saharan  Africa  remains  highly susceptible to food shortage since over 95 % of the region’s total cropland is rain-fed.  Kenya’s over reliance on rain-fed agriculture predisposes the country to climate-induced food insecurity. Murang’a County in Kenya is experiencing climate change challenges manifested  in  prolonged  droughts  and  floods.  The  consequences,are  failed  cropping seasons,  soil  erosion,  landslides,  altered  crop  suitability  and a resurgence  of  human, livestock,  crop  pests,and  diseases,culminating  into  food  insecurity.  This  study was conducted with Kimandi-Wanyaga community in the Gatanga Sub-County in Murang’a County,  Kenya.  Residents  are  smallholder subsistence  rain-fed  farmers.  The  study explored   the   potential   of   up-scaling   crop   diversification   under the Plantation Establishment and Livelihood Improvement Scheme (PELIS) for food security vis-à-vis climate change.  The  community’s  climate  change  coping  strategies  were  explored  to account  for  the  need  to  up-scale  crop  diversification  under  PELIS.  A  mixed  methods research design was applied whereby a systematic sampling method was used to select 281 household-heads. Three key informants were purposively selected and primary data were collected through a household survey, in-depth key stakeholder interviews, focus group discussions and on-farm trials. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics while qualitative data were analysed using thematic and content analysis. The study established that 92.9 % of the community perceived climate change and  its  impacts.  They  had  adopted  a  combination  of  coping  strategies  most  of  which,were found to be informed by short-term survival and hence,considered inadequate for long-term  adaptation.  The  PELIS  approach  had  been  piloted  in  Murang’a  County  and was found to be a promising strategy for crop diversification and food security among forest-adjacent communities. However, only 11 % of the studied community participated in the scheme. Therefore, the study endeavoured to work with the community to promote cultivation  of  traditional  vegetables  under  PELIS  for  crop  diversification  and  food security in the face of climate change.The PELIS beneficiaries who adopted cultivation of Black nightshade, Amaranths and Cowpeas managed to produce enough for household consumption  and  sale  of  surplus  for  income.  The  PELIS,therefore, possesses the co-benefits of climate change adaptation through crop diversification for food security and climate change mitigation through afforestation for carbon sequestration.

Scaling up crop diversification among farming communities for food security under climate change: A case study of the Kenyan pelis programme