Building Partnerships for Water and Food Systems in Kenya
On 17 June, the Netherlands Food Partnership (NFP) convened a workshop on the water-food nexus in Kenya with 45 stakeholders in Nairobi. The event brought together participants from across the water, food, research, government, private sector, and development sector to explore opportunities for stronger collaboration towards more resilient water and food systems.
The workshop was opened by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Kenya, highlighting the importance of integrated approaches that connect water stewardship, food security, climate resilience, and landscape restoration.
A key session featured the presentation of a scoping study conducted by researchers from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT), commissioned by NFP. The study explored challenges and opportunities at the water-food nexus in Kenya, with a particular focus on lessons from the Mau Region. The findings highlighted both the potential and the complexity of integrated approaches, including issues related to water governance, landscape restoration, agricultural development, and stakeholder coordination.
Participants also heard inspiring pitches from four initiatives working on water and food-related challenges in Kenya: Holland Greentech, World Waternet, WaterWorx, and the World Resources Institute (WRI). The presentations showcased diverse partnership models and practical approaches to strengthening the water-food nexus, including agricultural service hubs that support smallholder farmers, payment for ecosystem services schemes that incentivize landscape restoration, and initiatives aimed at restoring water balances and improving river health. Together, these examples illustrated how collaborative action can contribute to more resilient ecosystems, sustainable food production, and improved livelihoods.
The workshop concluded with interactive group discussions, which generated lively exchanges and many new connections between participants. Discussions highlighted a range of challenges and opportunities, including the need for stronger coordination between actors, the role of multi-stakeholder platforms, coherent policies across sectors, and improved alignment between national and county-level governance structures.
The event demonstrated a strong appetite for collaboration and knowledge exchange at the water-food nexus. NFP looks forward to building on the momentum generated during the workshop and continuing the conversation with partners across Kenya.
The full workshop report will be published soon.
Author
Babette Bodlaender
Partnership Builder
