Project partners of iSPARK recently convened a workshop at the ILRI Nairobi campus, which focused on enhancing decision-making tools for smallholder farming through collaboration and knowledge exchange.
Agriculture stands at the crossroads of opportunity and urgency. Climate change, resource limitations, and evolving global demands challenge farmers to produce more with fewer resources while protecting the environment. In Kenya, where farming supports millions and fuels the economy, innovation is no longer optional—it is essential. The iSPARK project (Innovation in Sustainability, Policy, Adaptation and Resilience in Kenya) is stepping up to this challenge by leveraging data science to reshape agricultural practices and equip farmers, researchers, and policymakers with actionable insights.
Commissioned by the UK-CGIAR Centre,  an initiative designed to improve collaboration between CGIAR and the UK’s leading scientific institutions, iSPARK aims to create solutions that enhance productivity, strengthen resilience, and ensure a brighter future for Kenyan farming. To drive this mission forward, the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT (ABC), in partnership with the University of Leeds and the Kenya Agricultural & Livestock Research Organization (KALRO), recently convened a workshop at the ILRI Nairobi campus. Titled Building Data Science Capacity for Agricultural Innovation, the workshop focused on enhancing decision-making tools for smallholder farming through collaboration and knowledge exchange.
The workshop emphasized practical, data-driven approaches to advancing crop management, climate adaptation, and resilience in agriculture. Participants explored ways to optimize data-sharing systems and strengthen analytics capabilities, laying the groundwork for more informed and impactful decision-making. A key theme of the workshop was the importance of capacity building as an ongoing effort. Participants discussed opportunities for long-term collaborations, such as embedding data scientists into KALRO’s ICT and data science team to co-develop robust data models. These models aim to enhance agricultural tools and insights, benefiting farmers, researchers, investors, and policymakers alike.
Workshop participants also explored how to apply advanced data science techniques to improve KALRO’s tools designed to help farmers make better decisions. By integrating analytics expertise and leveraging shared knowledge, the enhancements are expected to provide actionable insights for stakeholders, enabling evidence-based decisions in areas such as climate adaptation and crop management.
“We’re here to understand KALRO’s specific needs and determine the best way to move forward,” said Michelle Morris, a professor at the University of Leeds. “With the University of Leeds bringing extensive data analytics expertise to this collaboration, we aim to enhance KALRO’s capacity to leverage data for more impactful agricultural solutions.”
Michelle Morris from the University of Leeds shares insights on leveraging advanced data analytics to drive sustainable agricultural innovation.
Innovative and Secure Data Sharing
Responsible and secure sharing of agricultural and environmental data was highlighted as a top priority. Discussions centered on creating frameworks for data exchange that ensure privacy, transparency, and adherence to governance standards. Salim Kinyimu, the ICT director at KALRO, emphasized the importance of trust and transparency in data partnerships. “Anyone we share the data with has to be within the consent of the farmers, who are the data owners”, he said. Drawing on successful data-sharing examples, the participants discussed possible strategies to develop locally tailored, trust-based solutions for Kenya.
Salim Kinyimu, ICT Director at KALRO, making his remarks during the workshop held in Nairobi, Kenya.
Next Steps: Collaborations, Hackathons, and Data Standards
This workshop laid a solid foundation for continued innovation through several practical initiatives:
Exchange Programs and Hackathons
Plans are underway to implement exchange programs and hackathons to promote hands-on collaboration among technical teams. These initiatives aim to fast-track the creation of tools and technologies that address local needs. “Capacity building is most effective when it happens alongside product development,” said Steve Nzioka, ICT Officer and Product Lead at KALRO. “For instance, we could greatly benefit from the University of Leeds’ extensive experience in enhancing our data models, which would strengthen our tools and insights from the ground up.”
Setting Data Standards
Establishing data-sharing standards and governance frameworks was emphasized as essential for maintaining the integrity and sustainability of collaborative efforts. Such frameworks will facilitate safe, reliable data exchange across all levels of agricultural research and policy. “Effective data sharing between agencies is essential for developing solutions that can benefit a broader range of stakeholders, including national and county governments,” said Ani Ghosh, Senior Scientist at the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT and lead coordinator of the workshop. “By aligning on shared standards, organizations can create tools that support informed decision-making at all levels.”
Looking forwards
As the challenges facing agriculture grow increasingly complex, innovative and collaborative approaches such as those taken by iSPARK will be essential. This workshop provided a valuable platform for the iSPARK project to advance its mission of empowering partners with data-driven tools and insights. The partnerships and initiatives launched here signal a promising future for Kenyan agriculture, and this collaborative effort is expected to produce positive outcomes.