Research on sectoral systems of innovation has paid little attention to adaptation to cli¬mate change, notably in agriculture. This article, therefore, explores the role of systems of innovation in adapting to climate change. It focuses on two case studies in Kenyan agriculture, i.e. the coffee and dairy sectors, which differ in terms of stakeholders and insti¬tutional setups. In the coffee sector, the actors' system is highly centralized and the system of innovation is oriented towards technology development. In contrast, the dairy sector consists of a diversity of actors, and its system of innovation is based on institutional build¬ing and marketing. The capacity to innovate and adapt, therefore, depends on institutional arrangements in addition to technology development, suggesting that the dairy sector in Kenya could be an example for the coffee sector.