A new Franco–East African partnership is set to strengthen the region’s scientific capacity in climate-smart agriculture, marking one of the most ambitious cross-border collaborations to date between French research institutions and East African universities.
Launched in Nairobi, the initiative unites CIRAD and the French National Research Institute for Sustainable Development (IRD) with leading universities and agricultural research bodies across Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, and Tanzania. The partnership aims to create a coordinated research ecosystem capable of addressing mounting threats to food production, including erratic weather patterns, land degradation, and rapid population growth.
Rather than focusing solely on technology transfer, the collaboration positions East African institutions at the centre of a long-term effort to generate locally grounded research solutions. The new alliance will support the design of regional research programmes, strengthen postgraduate training, and draw producer organisations more directly into scientific dialogue.
East Africa faces some of the world’s fastest-growing food security challenges. Drought cycles have shortened, pests such as fall armyworm continue to expand, and shrinking arable land has heightened pressure on already fragile ecosystems. Against this backdrop, French Ambassador to Kenya Arnaud Suquet said the partnership represents a strategic investment in the region’s research capacity.
“Agro-ecological transition is no longer optional for East Africa—it is fundamental to long-term stability,” said Ambassador Suquet, noting that French institutions are increasingly prioritising science partnerships that blend agriculture, animal health, and environmental management.
The partnership is anchored by TRACE, a collaborative platform focused on agricultural transition in the context of climate, demographic and political shifts. Its goal is to link scientific research with the practical needs of farming communities navigating these pressures.
At the launch, East African academics underscored the urgency of transforming agricultural systems as the region’s population continues to rise.
“Kenya must move towards more resilient and sustainable food systems,” said Prof. Catherine Kunyanga, Associate Dean of the University of Nairobi’s Faculty of Agriculture. “This requires deeper collaboration between researchers, universities, and the professional agricultural sector.”
Research leaders noted that although East Africa hosts world-class agricultural expertise, a lack of coordinated regional infrastructure has often limited impact.
Kenya’s Principal Secretary for Science, Research, and Innovation, Prof. Abdulrazak Shaukat, welcomed the partnership’s potential to become a knowledge hub linking the region’s most influential scientific institutions.
“This is an opportunity to consolidate expertise across borders,” he said. “We have already begun exploring priority areas such as the blue economy, circular economy, and green economy.”
Institutions represented included KALRO, CGIAR centres, ICIPE, regional universities, and private-sector agricultural actors.
The initiative is supported through funding from Horizon Europe, the EU’s flagship research and innovation programme, enabling East African researchers to tap into global networks and strengthen data-driven decision-making across agriculture and environmental management.
Article by Jed Mwangi
Photo Courtesy / CGIAR
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