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Kenya

CABI has a regional centre for Africa in Nairobi. Agriculture is essential for sub-Saharan Africa’s economic growth and yet average crop yields in Africa are among the lowest in the world. Over 80% rely on it but many face challenges in growing sufficient good quality produce.

About

CABI has worked in Africa for many years, but in 1995 it formally established a regional centre in Nairobi. In Africa over 80% of people living in rural areas rely on the crops they grow for food and for income. They face many challenges in growing sufficient good quality produce, such as changing climatic conditions, threats from pests and diseases, lack of access to markets, and limited access to current agricultural information. Agriculture is essential for sub-Saharan Africa’s economic growth and yet average crop yields in Africa are among the lowest in the world.

CABI’s centre in Kenya strives to improve livelihoods, working with the communities that it serves to address the problems they face using sustainable approaches.

A key element of the centre’s work is helping smallholder commodity growers to produce for and compete in local and global markets. The centre also encourages rural innovation and helps local users access global information and knowledge. Plant health is safeguarded through a range of initiatives, which include the management of invasive species, work to reduce the transmission of harmful pests and diseases through traded goods, the development of safe and effective biological controls, and Plantwise, CABI’s global project to reduce crop losses. CABI’s Good Seed Initiative, which seeks to improve the quality of seed that farmers plant, and thus improve crop yields, is also championed.

The centre works in partnership with many organizations in both the public and private sector, to enable work to be achieved in the most effective and cost efficient way. It collaborates on a national and regional level, working with agricultural extension departments, research centres, producer organisations, NGOs and regulatory agencies. International partners include international research organisations and private sector institutions such as the Rabobank and Illycafè.

The centre’s work has significant social and economic impact. Improved productivity, improved quality, and conformity to market standards enable the region’s farmers to achieve a better income from their produce. The centre also positively impacts the environment, through its promotion of sustainable agriculture, its work to reduce pesticide use and its management of invasive species.

Looking to the future the centre will continue its work in support of CABI’s overarching strategy, and plans to improve its monitoring and evaluation systems, in order to more clearly document its learning and impact.

Contact us

Morris Akiri

Senior Regional Director, Africa

CABI, Canary Bird, 673 Limuru Road, Muthaiga, PO Box 633-00621, Nairobi, Kenya

T: +254 20 2271000

E: africa@cabi.org

CABI - Kenya

Canary Bird, 673 Limuru Road, Muthaiga, PO Box 633-00621, Nairobi, Kenya

T: +254 (0) 20 2271000 / 20

Centre staff

Dannie Romney

Senior Global Director, Development Communication and Extension

Winnie Nunda

Research Officer, Invasive Species Management

Frances Williams

Director of Social Sciences

Duncan Chacha

Scientist

Lorna Migiro

Senior Scientist, SPS

Phyllis Ombonyo

Head of Strategic Partnerships, Africa

Abigael Mchana

Communications Officer

David Onyango

Communications Specialist

Roger Day

Global Advisor, Plant Health

Linda Likoko

Projects Support Officer

Peter Karanja

Assistant Training Officer - Plantwise

Fredrick Mbugua

Monitoring and Evaluation Support Officer

Centre News & Blogs

Plantwise Blog

Pesticide risk reduction tackled at behaviour change workshop in Kenya

24th May 2023
CABI Blog

Woody weeds are harming biodiversity, but we can stop them – here’s how

22nd May 2023
Plantwise Blog

Helping to ensure greater food security through the eyes of a young farmer and plant doctor

2nd May 2023
Plantwise Blog

Making production standards work for Kenya's growers

24th April 2023

Documents

CABI in Africa Newsletter - November 2022

News and stories from CABI in Africa

Download PDF Type: Document
CABI in Africa Newsletter - June 2022

News and stories from CABI in Africa

Download PDF Type: Document
CABI in Africa Newsletter - November 2021

News and stories from CABI in Africa

Download PDF Type: Document
CABI in Africa Newsletter - June 2021

News and stories from CABI in Africa

Download PDF Type: Document
CABI in Africa Newsletter - November 2020

News and stories from CABI in Africa

Download PDF Type: Document
CABI in Africa Newsletter - July 2020

News and stories from CABI in Africa

Download PDF Type: Document
Africa Coffee Facility (ACF) Donors Forum programme

Africa Coffee Facility (ACF) Donors Forum programme

Download PDF Type: Document
Africa Coffee Facility (ACF) Donors Forum report (French)

Africa Coffee Facility (ACF) Donors Forum report (French)

Download PDF Type: Report
Africa Coffee Facility (ACF) Donors Forum report (English)

Africa Coffee Facility (ACF) Donors Forum report (English)

Download PDF Type: Report

Related projects

CABI Project
Increasing safe and efficient trade of agriculture in East Africa

The East African Community (EAC) represents one of the fastest-growing regional economic communities in the world. However, trade of agricultural products, from and within this region, has been hindered by factors including Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) issues. The project aims to assess the SPS systems and frameworks, identify challenges and opportunities for further investments and increase the capacity among EAC partner states with the aim of easing SPS-related barriers, regionally and internationally, and creating new trade opportunities in agriculture.

Start:27/01/20 -End:30/04/24