Today, on behalf of the Deputy Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, I am honoured to officially launch the Kenya Science Translation Hub.
This Hub is not merely a project—it is a strategic institutional platform for translating scientific discoveries into real-world impact.
Our challenge in Kenya—and indeed across Sub-Saharan Africa—is not a shortage of brilliant scientific research. Rather, it is the disconnect between the robust findings stored in our journals and the urgent needs of our farmers, communities, and policymakers.
The complexity of our food systems—ranging from climate shocks to market inefficiencies—demands evidence-based solutions that are not only sound, but immediately actionable.
This Sida-funded Hub, built on the strong foundation of the AgriFoSe2030 program, Phases 1 and 2, is our structural answer to this challenge. It positions the University of Nairobi, in collaboration with our valued partners, as a regional center of excellence in science translation—informing policies and practices that enable more efficient, resilient, and sustainable food systems.
A central component of the Hub is capacity building. It will train a new generation of policy-aware scientists through specialized courses in Systematic Reviews, Science Translation, and the rigorous Theory of Change (ToC) methodology—developed through AgriFoSe2030.
Through this training, we aim to equip researchers not only to ask "what works?" but to clearly articulate "how" scientific evidence can be translated into better policies, better practices, and ultimately, better outcomes for food security, livelihoods, and sustainability.
In essence, this Hub will be our vehicle for moving science to impact.
Thank you.
