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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

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

Duncan Chacha

Scientist

Harrison Rware

Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Officer, Africa

Winnie Nunda

Research Officer, Invasive Species Management

Charles Wendo

Training Coordinator, SciDev.Net

Maureen Njenga Wairimu

Research Assistant

Benson Mutuku

Gender Coordinator, Africa

Selpha Miller

Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Invasive Species Management

Joseph Mulema

Senior Scientist, Research

Naphis Bitange

Postdoctoral Fellow-Systems Agronomist

Wanjiku Kiarie

Global Operations Manager, International Development

Daniel Karanja

Deputy Director, Research and Innovation

Linda Likoko

Projects Support Officer

PlantwisePlus Blog

Writeshop to draft National Pesticide Residue Monitoring Framework for Kenya

17th October 2024
CABI Blog

CABI convenes workshop designed to strengthen Kenya’s soil information system

7th October 2024
PlantwisePlus Blog

What are Natural Enemies Field Reservoirs, and how do they help farmers control crop pests?

1st October 2024
CABI Blog

CABI supports workshop on efficacy and residue data extrapolation and crop grouping guidelines

26th September 2024

Documents

CABI in Africa Annual Conference and Plant Health Systems Forum Abstracts Booklet

The inaugural CABI in Africa Annual Conference and Africa Plant Health Systems Forum 2024, themed “Knowledge-Driven Solutions for Africa’s Plant Health Systems” builds upon a rich history of collaborative efforts within the plant health system and strategic evolution within CABI. This booklet details the abstracts of those presentations given across the four-day event.

Download PDF Type: Document
CABI in Africa Newsletter - May 2024

News and stories from CABI in Africa

Download PDF Type: Document
CABI in Africa Newsletter - November 2023

News and stories from CABI in Africa

Download PDF Type: Document
CABI in Africa Newsletter - July 2023

News and stories from CABI in Africa

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

News and stories from CABI in Africa

Download PDF Type: Document

Related projects

CABI Project
Sustainable management of fall armyworm in Botswana

During 2017-18, the invasion of the Fall Armyworm (FAW) in Botswana posed a serious threat to food and nutrition security for vulnerable farming communities and households. Surveillance of pests, known as pest monitoring, will help mitigate the negative impacts of FAW in the country and will also promote the wider use of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) for sustainable management of the pest. This project will work towards strengthening the capacity of stakeholders in these two areas of management whilst supporting the development of a national strategy for the sustainable management of FAW in Botswana.

Start:01/07/19 -End:31/07/21