| Sumario: | Agricultural production in developing countries faces complex challenges from climate change, variability, and environmental degradation, which primarily affect smallholder farmers reliant on climate-sensitive systems. In Kisumu County, Kenya, farming is the primary livelihood for most families, yet their vulnerability is exacerbated by exposure to weather extremes and structural issues. This study establishes a baseline for the Innovation in Sustainability, Policy, Adaptation, and Resilience in Kenya (iSPARK) project by outlining the current status of key socioeconomic and agricultural indicators before project implementation. Data were collected through semi-structured phone interviews with 400 smallholder farmers registered in iShamba. The study examined major crops, farming practices, adoption of climate-resilient measures such as intercropping, irrigation, and soil fertility management, gender roles in agriculture, and access to credit and advisory services. Findings indicate that over 80% of households depend on agriculture, with moderate adoption of focal interventions: organic fertiliser (60.8%), inorganic fertiliser (59%), irrigation (48.2%), and intercropping (42%). Although advisory services are available, access remains unequal, particularly for market, credit, input, and post-harvest information. Vulnerability is shaped not only by climate exposure but also by social and institutional barriers, including persistent gender inequalities in land ownership, access to extension services, and household decision-making, which increase women’s climate-related risks. This baseline provides an essential empirical foundation for achieving three key project outcomes, namely the provision of tailored advisers, informing policy, and developing business cases to foster climate-resilient agriculture in Kisumu.
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