NAIROBI, Kenya — The Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO) has hosted a high-level World Bank delegation to explore partnerships aimed at accelerating Kenya’s digital agriculture agenda through data-driven innovation and digital public infrastructure.
The delegation was led by the World Bank’s Global Lead for Data and Digital, Santoshkumar Vasudevan, accompanied by Agriculture Task Team Leader Ghada Elabed and Dr. Boniface Akuku.
According to KALRO, the visit formed part of a technical mission focused on strengthening Kenya’s Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) and the Open Network for Agriculture (ONA).
During the meeting, KALRO showcased several digital initiatives designed to modernise agricultural research and improve service delivery to farmers.
Among the innovations presented were the KALRO Big Data Platform, Digital Climate Advisory Services (DCAS), digital soil information systems, agricultural registries, and Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered research and advisory services.
The discussions also examined Kenya’s progress in digital agriculture and the role of research institutions in supporting evidence-based decision-making and expanding access to digital services across the agricultural value chain.
The two sides further explored opportunities to collaborate in implementing digital technologies under major government-supported agricultural programmes, including the Food Systems Resilience Program (FSRP), the National Agricultural Value Chain Development Project (NAVCDP) and AgriConnect.
The engagement focused on leveraging Digital Public Infrastructure, promoting open data ecosystems and strengthening strategic partnerships to improve agricultural productivity, service delivery and climate resilience.
KALRO said the partnership is expected to support the development of innovative digital solutions that will benefit farmers and other stakeholders across the sector.
The World Bank delegation was received by KALRO Deputy Director General for Crops Dr. Alice Murage, Director of Donor Funds Dr. Michael Okoti, Director of ICT and Digital Agriculture Simon Mulwa, and Assistant Director of ICT and Digital Agriculture Victor Langat.
KALRO said the visit reaffirmed the long-standing partnership between the organisation and the World Bank, with both institutions committing to harnessing data, digital technologies and research-led innovation to transform agriculture, improve farmer services and strengthen livelihoods across Kenya.