Kenya National Consultation Report

Our Kenya national consultation report examines key priorities and challenges within the country’s humanitarian research and innovation (R&;I) ecosystem. It emphasises the need for locally relevant and effective responses to Kenya's unique crises, including displacement, climate change, food insecurity, and health issues.

R&;I needs vary across Kenya due to different climatic and crisis conditions, particularly in the arid and semi-arid regions. Essential priority R&;I topics include climate change, health, food security, humanitarian-development nexus, innovation and localisation. Mental health, disease prevention and poverty alleviation were also highlighted.  

Key findings:

• Investment Alignment with R&;I Needs: Some participants believe R&;I investments align with community needs and UNSDGs. Others cite funding gaps and insufficient investment as misalignments.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Engagement barriers include favoritism towards established partners, limited local research capacity, funding shortages, and poor coordination.
• Priority-Setting Processes: R&;I prioritisation is guided by organisational strategies, identified gaps, and donor interests. However, the beneficiary community is often excluded from these processes.
• R&;I Responsiveness: Challenges include funding issues, political obstacles, access difficulties, limited human resources, and crisis-specific barriers.

Recommendations:

• Prioritise Key R&;I Areas: Focus on climate change, health, food security, innovation and localisation. Engage diverse stakeholders to develop a comprehensive national R&;I agenda.
• Improve Data Management: Enhance the capacity of teams to collect and use data effectively.
• Ensure Culturally Relevant R&;I: Tailor research findings to local contexts for better adoption and application.
• Enhance Information Implementation: Invest in long-term R&;I projects to address staff turnover and resource limitations.
• Build Capacity: Train researchers and humanitarian workers in various fields to handle complex crises.
• Integrate R&;I into Government: Embed R&;I capabilities within government units, ensuring adequate funding and staffing.
• Maximise Existing Data Use: Utilise data from project monitoring and evaluation to support broader R&;I goals.

This consultation underscores the need for a structured, inclusive approach to humanitarian R&;I in Kenya to improve crisis response and better serve communities.

This Kenya consultation was undertaken by Passion Africa Ltd., and the Alfred Deakin Institute, Deakin University, and was led by Salome Bukachi. Joseph K. Kamara from World Vision East Africa Regional Office provided the interface to the humanitarian networks and reviewed the study documents. Data collection was undertaken by Abel Simiyu, Nelson Ochieng, Tonny Onyango and Bukachi Salome,  data transcription was undertaken by Abel Simiyu, Nelson Ochieng, and Ann Muthiru, and data analysis was undertaken by Nelson Ochieng, Tonny Onyango, Lilian Anyango and Chaza Akik.  

[.slimline-cta-box][.slimline-cta_heading]What is the Global Prioritisation Exercise?[.slimline-cta_heading][.slimline-cta_paragraph]The Global Prioritisation Exercise (GPE) for humanitarian research and innovation aims to improve outcomes for people affected by crisis by amplifying the impact of investments in research and innovation and understanding the priorities at all levels. It will provide a detailed overview of the progress and performance of the humanitarian research and innovation ecosystem with a clear set of priorities for research and innovation funding and attention.

Find out more about the GPE[.slimline-cta_paragraph][.slimline-cta-box]