CGIAR launches Regional Scaling Hub in Kenya to transform food systems

KENYA – The Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), a global partnership dedicated to ensuring food security, has officially launched the Regional East and Southern African Scaling Hub in Kenya. 

This strategic initiative aims to accelerate agricultural innovation, improve collaboration, and scale science-based solutions for food, land, and water transformation across Africa.

Advancing agricultural innovation and collaboration

The new Scaling Hub represents a significant step toward bridging the gap between agricultural research and real-world application. 

It seeks to ensure that CGIAR’s innovative solutions, developed in partnership with research institutions across Africa, reach farmers and other end-users who can benefit the most.

Appolinaire Djikeng, Director General of the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), emphasized the importance of delivering practical solutions to small-scale farmers:

“For CGIAR, it is imperative that we ensure our solutions for small-scale farmers are appropriate and can be used by different partners to scale,” he said. 

“This new hub will facilitate dynamic co-design processes, enabling effective deployment of agricultural innovations.”

Building multi-stakeholder partnerships

The Scaling Hub is designed to foster collaboration and knowledge exchange by connecting diverse scaling actors. 

These include farmers, farmer cooperatives, government agencies, International Financial Institutions (IFIs), National Agricultural Research and Extension Systems (NARES), universities, civil society organizations, youth agricultural influencers, and private sector partners.

The hub’s multi-stakeholder approach will enhance agricultural solutions through a dynamic and inclusive process that considers the local context and needs of African communities.

Translating research into practical solutions

Highlighting the importance of context-specific agricultural solutions, Djikeng noted that the hub would facilitate significant consultations among farmers, researchers, and cooperatives:

“We aim to translate our research results into practical solutions that small-scale farmers can use, particularly in the Global South. This hub ensures urgent and collaborative problem-solving.”

The hub also enables experts to co-develop, test, and scale solutions tailored to smallholder farmers, particularly those in remote and underserved areas.

Aligning with CGIAR’s global vision for impact

The Regional Scaling Hub is a key component of CGIAR’s 2025-2030 portfolio and aligns with the Scaling for Impact Program, which seeks to address agricultural challenges worldwide. 

“The hub will share best practices and lessons learned, particularly from the Nairobi Hub, to tackle similar agricultural challenges in regions like Asia and Latin America,” Timothy Krupnik, Interim Director of the Scaling for Impact Program, emphasized the hub’s role in expanding the reach of scientific solutions.

Empowering local communities and enhancing livelihoods

The Scaling for Impact Program aims to support over 62 million people, including 30% women, youth, and marginalized groups, by 2030. 

This initiative is expected to enhance livelihoods, improve health outcomes, and create or enhance over 250,000 jobs, with 480,000 people accessing healthier diets.

“This hub provides a physical space for CGIAR and our scaling partners to co-locate, fostering creativity and collaborative problem-solving. We aim to advance ‘science for the last mile’ by scaling innovations in more inclusive and sustainable ways,” Inga Jacobs-Mata, one of the visionaries behind the hub, expressed her enthusiasm for the initiative.

The new hub promotes a collaborative and innovative environment that brings together scaling talents and experts across organizations and disciplines. It aims to create solutions that are diverse and adaptable to the specific challenges faced by African farmers.

Sandra Millerk, the new Chief Scientist of CGIAR, lauded the initiative, highlighting its focus on unity and urgency.

“The urgency for action is critical, especially in the last mile where we implement research directly with farmers on the ground,” she said.

By aligning with local contexts and leveraging global expertise, the Regional Scaling Hub is expected to play a pivotal role in realizing CGIAR’s vision of a food-secure future.