• The second-High Panel Conference on Agricultural Research in Kenya will focus on Covid-19 pandemics, climate change, desert locust invasion and other emerging issues.
•The two-day conference will be a mix of the traditional and virtual conference models.
Agricultural research is necessary for re-engineering systems to ensure resilience during emergencies such as Covid-19, Agriculture PS has said.
PS Hamadi Boga said the country’s research system has not grown in the past, and there is need to have robust research systems for Kenya to become competitive globally.
“It is important to use knowledge in all our solutions and the only way you can generate new knowledge is through intensive research. You must have the capacity and people who understand these organisms, for instance, the fall army worm or locusts,” the PS told the Star on Monday during an interview.
He heads the State Department for Crop Development and Agricultural Research, which was merged from the former State Department for Crop Development and State Department for Agricultural Research.
The department is mandated with ensuring food and nutrition security through creation of an enabling environment, increased crop production, research and development, market access and sustainable natural resource management.
Boga said in view of the prevailing circumstances imposed and characterised by the Covid-19 pandemic, climate change and desert locust invasion, the ministry plans to have the Second-High Panel Conference on Agricultural Research in Kenya between October 21-22 at Kalro head office in Nairobi.
The conference is themed “Contribution of research and innovation in mitigating the impact of natural disasters in Kenya’s agriculture and food system.
He said the circumstances prevailing in the country following the outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic, climate change, desert and locust invasion have defined the theme of the conference.
The two-day conference will be a mix of the traditional and virtual conference models.
The conference will seek to bring more visibility on the research and innovation role in the ministry and articulate the role of agriculture in the national transformation agenda.
The conference will focus on expounding the interlinkages between Covid-19, other zoonotic attacks, locust invasions, environmental changes and how research is critical in mitigating such emergencies.
“It will also highlight the importance of strengthening local innovation capacity for solutions such as the production or synthesis of reagents, ventilators, use of biofoundries. This is in view of the difficulties faced by the international supply chain failure during emergencies such as Covid-19,” Boga said.
“We look forward to have reinforced commitments by the agriculture sector and related stakeholders to increased investments in research and a robust and coordinated ecosystem,” he added.