Like many other Kenyan children, I grew up hearing about the lengthy drought of the 1970s. By the time I could walk, however, my village was experiencing faithful rains that ensured a surplus of staples. We knew to expect the long rains between March and May and the short rains between September and December. This seasonal predictability allowed us to also venture into cash crop farming, providing additional revenue.
By 1984, however, it was evident that we had fully transitioned into unpredictable weather patterns. The entire country experienced severe drought. This was followed by intense flooding in Nyanza and the Coastal regions. This drought-flooding cycle recurred until 2000, when the country seemed to enter an overall rainfall-deficit era.
My love for mathematics and desire to maximize resource efficiency and profitability prompted me to study economics, a discipline that saw me climb the ranks in commercial banking. For a while, I was able to push away the gnawing childhood worries of chiefly depending on rain-fed agriculture. These fears, however, came alive after I encountered a commercial farmer who posited that his biggest worry was unreliable rainfall. I realized that despite the magnificent strides we had made as a nation, our farmers still relied on rain-fed agriculture. This made them increasingly vulnerable to climate change.
It is this background and experience that gave rise to Sunkings Consultants. I had spent years analyzing credit portfolios and designing development loans. I now wanted to apply this competence to help farmers and communities build more resilient and sustainable futures. I envisioned an organization that could help farmers address environmental challenges. Our initial focus was, therefore, promoting sustainable farming in local communities. Our lens, however, expanded to include two other pertinent stakeholders: organizations and governments.
Our team grew gradually to accommodate this growth, and we now have experts in Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG), Sustainable Agriculture, Development Finance, Climate Finance, Human Resources, and Project Management. We remain driven by the impetus to help our clients implement sustainable projects, access resources, and strengthen capacity.
We are highly optimistic about the future. Our commitment to helping our clients achieve measurable results is indubitable. We are more than consultants; we partner with you for impact. We will continue to ensure that our clients in Kenya and across the African continent not only meet current challenges but are also prepared for the future.