Kenya

Vision

A future where Kenya’s agri-food transformation is powered by cutting-edge CGIAR policy innovations, co-developed and delivered with Kenyan partners to drive a resilient, inclusive, and high-income economy through research-based policy solutions and institutional capacity sharing. 

Mission

Through the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA) and Vision 2030, Kenya is leveraging agri-food systems to drive growth and build resilience. The Kenya Policy Innovations Hub serves as the vital bridge between world-class research and real-world impact, ensuring that every major policy decision is backed by actionable evidence.

We believe that sustainable transformation must be country-led. A core pillar of the Hub is institutional capacity sharing, ensuring that Kenyan partners have the tools and skills to lead policy analysis independently.

Examples of Current Capacity Sharing Initiatives:

• Advanced Economic Modeling: Partnering with KIPPRA, KALRO, and the Tegemeo Institute to provide regional and country-level training in RIAPA economic modeling for investment prioritization.
• Trade & Subsidy Reform: Conducting workshops with the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development and Investments, Trade and Industry to co-design equitable pathways for repurposing subsidies and domesticating WTO agreements.
• Rice Policy Excellence: Organizing regional training for the Ministry of Agriculture on rice policy design, implementation, and advanced methods for impact assessment of R&D interventions.
• Political Economy Tools: Deploying PEPA.AI and PERI (Political Economy of Rural Investment) training to support government think tanks analyze and navigate the enabling environment for policy reform.
• Understanding the benefits of livestock disease control programs: Assessing the economic burden of foot-and-mouth (FMD) and Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR) partnering with Directorate of Veterinary Services. 

We bring world class science specialized by Areas of Work (AOW) to work hand-in-hand with our national partners. For example: 

1. Foresight & Prioritization 
   Economic Risk Profiling: Developing vulnerabilities reports with PETS to inform poverty and food security priorities. 
2. Market-Led Transformation 
   Utilizing IRRI’s Global Rice Model to simulate trade impacts and the Fisheries Subsidies Reform Roadmap to inform government investment. 
3. Governance & Political Economy 
   Water & Resource Governance: Implementing PILA4WP analysis to map the irrigation landscape and identify ways to enhance water productivity. 
4. Water, Energy, Food (WEFE) Nexus 
   Working with the Ministry of Water and Irrigation on water management policies and strategies. 
5. Social Inclusion & Youth 
   Scaling youth-led commercial service models and providing evidence for the Ministry of Labor on asset transfers and school meal programs. 

Impact is co-created through deep, trust-based partnerships across the government and research ecosystem: 

• Executive & Planning: Presidential Economic Transformation Secretariat (PETS); National Treasury and Economic Planning; Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS). 
• Sector Ministries: Agriculture and Livestock Development; Investments, Trade and Industry; Water and Irrigation; Environment and Forestry; Labor and Social Protection; Youth Affairs, Creative Economy and Sports. 
• Research & Academia: KIPPRA; KALRO; Tegemeo Institute; University of Nairobi. 
• Coordination: Agriculture and Rural Development Donor Group (ARDPG). 

We hold ourselves accountable to measurable change: 

• KPI 1: Number of Policy Recommendations (e.g., Slide decks for PETS; Fisheries Reform Roadmaps; CSSP youth models). 
• KPI 2: Number of Policies/Investments Informed (e.g., Strategic development prospects for Treasury; COP31 and G7 Issues Notes). 
• KPI 3: Number of National Institutions Strengthened (e.g., Capacity sharing workshops with KIPPRA, KALRO, and the Ministry of Trade). 

Expected Impact

Science-backed policies in Kenya that drive country-led poverty reduction, food and water security, and sustainable jobs.

For additional information about the Policy Innovation Hub in Kenya you can contact:

• Joseph Karugia, Principal Scientist – Agricultural Economist, ILRI - j.karugia@cgiar.org
• Khalid Siddig, Senior Research Fellow, IFPRI - k.siddig@cgiar.org