Published as AKADEMIYA2063 Working Paper No. 003 May 2022.
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Kenya
The agricultural sector plays a critical role in the Kenyan economy; more than 40% of the population (70% in rural areas) depends on agriculture for their livelihood. The sector represents 18% of all formal employment and also provides a livelihood for a large part of the country’s youth. The Kenyan agricultural sector has performed relatively well in recent years, recovering from a negative growth rate of -2.1% in 2000 to 2.9% in 2013. The strong internal demand for major staples, pulses, livestock products and horticultural goods as well as returns from key export subsectors, notably coffee, tea, pyrethrum, fruits, vegetables and cut flowers have been key to recovery. However, agricultural growth remains low relative to the growth in the other sectors of the economy. The national diet is heavily based on starchy staples, with maize representing 36% of the country’s daily calorie intake. Kenya is simultaneously affected by both over and undernutrition and persistent micronutrient deficiencies, and these issues vary according to region. Indicators reflect that nutritional deficiencies are particularly serious in the North-Eastern region, while overweight and obesity are high in Nairobi.
Read the full country dossier here, visit the Kenya innovation contest page here, and read the country innovation study on the status of agricultural innovations, innovation platforms and innovation investments in Kenya here.
Agricultural Typology of Kenya:
Kenya on 
Publications
Firm-Level Innovation and Business Obstacles in Sub-Saharan Africa: A cross-country analysis
The challenges of rural youth employment in Africa: a literature review
Published as ZEF Working Paper 212.
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Read more The challenges of rural youth employment in Africa: a literature review
Do African livestock policies address sustainability trade-offs? Evidence from Kenya, Zambia, and Burkina Faso
Published as Hohenheim Working Papers on Social and Institutional Change in Agricultural Development Nr. 002-2022.
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Animal traction, two-wheel tractors, or four-wheel tractors? A best-fit approach to guide farm mechanization in Africa
Published as Hohenheim Working Papers on Social and Institutional Change in Agricultural Development Nr. 001-2022.
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PARI Annual Report 2021
PARI Annual Report 2021: Download
Mechanization, digitalization, rural youth: Stakeholder perceptions on mega-topics for African agricultural transformation
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A previous draft was published as Hohenheim Working Papers on Social and Institutional Change in Agricultural Development Nr. 010-2021.
Prospects for Aquaculture Development in Africa: A review of past performance to assess future potential
Published as ZEF working paper 211.
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What really impedes the scaling out of digital services for agriculture? A Kenyan users’ perspective
Published in Smart Agricultural Technology, Volume 2, 2022, 100034. Access the paper here.
Is there Unrecognized Potential in Neglected Livestock Species?
Published as Hohenheim Working Papers on Social and Institutional Change in Agricultural Development Nr. 011-2021.
Read the working paper here.
Read more Is there Unrecognized Potential in Neglected Livestock Species?
Connected cows and cyber chickens? Stocktaking and case studies of digital livestock tools in Kenya and India
Published as Hohenheim Working Papers on Social and Institutional Change in Agricultural Development Nr. 008-2021.
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Sources of value creation in aggregator platforms for digital services in agriculture – insights from likely users in Kenya
Published in Digital Business, Vol. 1-2. Download the article here.
Determinants of uptake and strategies to improve agricultural insurance in Africa: a review
Published in Environment and Development Economics, 1-27. Download the article here.
Who Wants to Farm? Answers Depend on How You Ask: A Case Study on Youth Aspirations in Kenya
Strategies for Transforming Smallholder Farming in Africa
FARA & PARI have released a new book titled STRATEGIES FOR TRANSFORMING SMALLHOLDER FARMING IN AFRICA.
Read the whole book here.
Read more Strategies for Transforming Smallholder Farming in Africa
Between pandemics and famines: Towards nutrition-sensitive lockdowns during Covid-19 and beyond
Published as Hohenheim Working Papers on Social and Institutional Change in Agricultural Development Nr. 006-2020.
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‘We would rather die from Covid-19 than from hunger´ – Exploring lockdown stringencies in five African countries
Published as Hohenheim Working Papers on Social and Institutional Change in Agricultural Development Nr. 005-2020.
Read the full working paper here.Read more ‘We would rather die from Covid-19 than from hunger´ – Exploring lockdown stringencies in five African countries
Perceived effects of farm tractors in four African countries, highlighted by participatory impact diagrams
Published in Agronomy for Sustainable Development (2020) 40:47
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From Potentials to Reality: Transforming Africa’s Food Production
The report is avalailable in English and German.
Read the press release to the report here.Read more From Potentials to Reality: Transforming Africa’s Food Production
Investing Sustainably in African Livestock Development: Opportunities and Trade-Offs
Published as ZEF Working Paper 194.
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India-Africa Partnership in Trade and Investment: With focus on the Agriculture and Food Sector
Published as ZEF Working Paper 195.
Read the full report here.Read more India-Africa Partnership in Trade and Investment: With focus on the Agriculture and Food Sector
PARI Policy Brief No. 26: Emerging Impacts of COVID–19 on the Kenyan Food and Beverage Manufacturing Sector
This PARI policy brief is available here.
Impacts of agricultural mechanization: Evidence from four African countries
Published as Hohenheim Working Papers on Social and Institutional Change in Agricultural Development No. 003-2020
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Read more Impacts of agricultural mechanization: Evidence from four African countries
An Appraisal of Selected Innovation Cases in the Livestock Sector in Kenya
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Read more An Appraisal of Selected Innovation Cases in the Livestock Sector in Kenya
Mechanization and Skills Development for Productivity Growth, Employment and Value Addition: Insights from KENYA
Published as FARA Research Report Volume 5 No: 18 (2020).
Download the report here.
The Status of ICT Infrastructure, Innovative Environment and ICT4AG Services in Agriculture, Food and Nutrition in Kenya
Published as FARA Research Report Volume 5 No: 11 (2020).
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Socioeconomic Perspectives of Jain Irrigation Project in Kibwezi, Kenya
Published as FARA Research Report Volume 5 No: 12 (2020).
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Read more Socioeconomic Perspectives of Jain Irrigation Project in Kibwezi, Kenya
Copyright or copyleft: An assessment of farmer-innovators’ attitudes towards intellectual property rights
Published in Journal of Rural Studies.
Read the full report here.Read more Copyright or copyleft: An assessment of farmer-innovators’ attitudes towards intellectual property rights
A Comparative Study on the Determinants of the Level of Mechanization in Kenya: The Case of Rice and Banana Value Chains
PARI Policy Brief No. 17: Improving Protein Nutrition of Dairy Cattle in the Tropics
This PARI Policy Brief is available here.
Read more PARI Policy Brief No. 17: Improving Protein Nutrition of Dairy Cattle in the Tropics
PARI Policy Brief No. 15: Seed System Development: Fertile Grounds In Sub-Saharan Africa
This PARI Policy Brief is available here.
Read more PARI Policy Brief No. 15: Seed System Development: Fertile Grounds In Sub-Saharan Africa
Innovation Opportunities in Dairy Livestock in Kenya
Published as as FARA Guide Book 2019
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Read more Innovation Opportunities in Dairy Livestock in Kenya
Honey Bee Network in Africa: Co-creating a Grassroots Innovation Ecosystem in Africa
Published as ZEF Working Paper: 178
The full report is available here.
Read more Honey Bee Network in Africa: Co-creating a Grassroots Innovation Ecosystem in Africa
Improving milk value chains through solar milk cooling
Published as ZEF Working Paper No. 172.
Available for download here.Read more Improving milk value chains through solar milk cooling
Mechanization in African Agriculture: A Continental Overview on Patterns and Dynamics
ZEF Working Paper 169 can be found here
Read more Mechanization in African Agriculture: A Continental Overview on Patterns and Dynamics
Differential Impacts of Conservation Agriculture Technology Options on Household Income in Sub-Saharan Africa
Published in Ecological Economics, Volume 151, September 2018, Pages 95–105.
Available for download here.Read more Differential Impacts of Conservation Agriculture Technology Options on Household Income in Sub-Saharan Africa
Yield effects of selected agronomic innovation packages in maize cropping systems of six countries in Sub-Saharan Africa
Published as ZEF-Discussion Papers on Development Policy No. 257
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Innovation Opportunities in Sweet Potato production in Kenya
Read the full report here
Published as: Makini FW, Mose LO , Kamau GK, Salasya B, Mulinge WW, Ongala J Makelo MN and Fatunbi AO (2017). Innovation opportunities in Sweet potato Production in Kenya. Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA).
Read more Innovation Opportunities in Sweet Potato production in Kenya
Impact of Agricultural Innovation Platforms on Smallholder livelihoods in Eastern and Western Kenya
Read the full report here.
Published as: Felister Makini, Wellington Mulinge, Lawrence Mose, Beatrice Salasya, Geoffrey Kamau, Margaret Makelo, and On’gala, J. (2018) Impact of Agricultural Innovation Platforms on Smallholder livelihoods in Eastern and Western Kenya. FARA Research Results Vol2(6)
Identifying Options for the Development of Sustainable Seed Systems – Insights from Kenya and Mali
Published as ZEF Working Paper No. 165.
Read the policy brief here.
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This study is based on a more detailed report which is available here (3.2 MB).Read more Identifying Options for the Development of Sustainable Seed Systems – Insights from Kenya and Mali
Innovation Opportunities in Sweet Potato production in Kenya
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Publishes as: Makini F. et al (2018) Innovation Opportunities in Sweet Potato production in Kenya. FARA, KALRO and ZEF.
PARI Policy Brief No. 9: Innovation for Sustainable Agricultural Growth in Africa – Insights from Research Dossiers on 12 PARI Partner Countries
Recognizing and rewarding farmers’ creativity through contests: experiences and insights from four African countries
Published in Food Security, October 2018, Volume 10, Issue 5, pp 1237–1250
and as ZEF Working Paper No. 166.
Further information about the farmer innovation contests organised by PARI in Africa can be found here.Read more Recognizing and rewarding farmers’ creativity through contests: experiences and insights from four African countries
Agricultural Mechanization in Kenya: rice and banana value chains
Read the full report here.
Published as: Makini FW, Kamau GM, Mose LO, Ongala J, Salasya B, Mulinge WW and Makelo M (2017) Status, Challenges, and Prospects of Agricultural Mechanisation in Kenya: The Case of Rice and Banana Value Chains. FARA Research Results Vol 1(2)Read more Agricultural Mechanization in Kenya: rice and banana value chains
Innovation for Sustainable Agricultural Growth – 12 Country Dossiers
Dossiers available for download by country (October 2017).Read more Innovation for Sustainable Agricultural Growth – 12 Country Dossiers
Change in crop management strategies could double the maize yield in Africa
Published as E.E. Rezaei and T. Giaser, ZEF Discussion Papers on Development Policy No. 239
Read the policy brief here.
Download the full paper here.Read more Change in crop management strategies could double the maize yield in Africa
PARI Poster: Recognizing Farmer Innovators in Africa
Download the poster (3.6 Mb).Read more PARI Poster: Recognizing Farmer Innovators in Africa
The ReSAKSS Country eAtlases
The ReSAKSS Country eAtlases is a GIS-based mapping tool designed to help policy analysts and policymakers access and use high quality and highly disaggregated data on agricultural, socio-economic, and bio-physical indicators to guide agricultural policy and investment decisions.
Solar Milk Cooling with Insulated Milk Cans
The University of Hohenheim developed a milk cooling solution based on a commercially available DC Refrigerator equipped with an adaptive control unit for its conversion to a smart ice-maker that operates depending on the availability of solar energy. It can help small- and medium-sized dairy farms to improve the storage, transportation, and hygiene of their produced milk.
More information is available here. Read more Solar Milk Cooling with Insulated Milk Cans
Country Innovation Studies
The Innovation Studies for the 12 African PARI countries provide an overview of the status of agricultural innovations, innovation platforms and innovation investment in the respective country. Read more Country Innovation Studies
On the use of agricultural system models for exploring technological innovations across scales in Africa: A critical review
PARI Policy Brief No. 1: Strategic Directions for Development Collaboration for Food Security and Agricultural Growth in Sub-Saharan Africa
Tapping Potentials of Innovation for Food Security and Sustainable Agricultural Growth – an Africa-wide Perspective
A study for the special initiative “One World, No Hunger” of the Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).
Download full report and policy brief.
Report on Potentials and Cooperation Opportunities in African Countries
Summary of a report on potentials and possibilities for German collaboration in agriculture in the 12 PARI countries.
Download full report in English, French and German
Read more Report on Potentials and Cooperation Opportunities in African Countries
Potentials and Possibilities for German Collaboration in Agriculture – 12 Country Dossiers
Dossiers available for download by country and as a complete collection (September 2015) .Read more Potentials and Possibilities for German Collaboration in Agriculture – 12 Country Dossiers
Regional trade and volatility in staple food markets in Africa
Published as: ZEF Discussion Papers on Development Policy No. 200.
Download paper.Read more Regional trade and volatility in staple food markets in Africa