DAAD Agriculture-Alumni Network - Workshop

DAAD Agriculture-Alumni Network - Workshop
‘Paradigm shifts in Agricultural Systems towards Sustainable
Land-use in Africa’
28th March – 2nd April 2022

Agriculture is one of East Africa's most important sectors, with about 80 percent of the
population living in rural areas and depending on agriculture for their livelihoods. However,
agricultural production and productivity in the East African Community is constrained by natural
factors, policies and adoption of technologies. These constraints have inhibited the rural
economy’s potential to alleviate poverty through employment creation and income generation;
to meet growing food needs driven by rapid population growth and urbanisation; as well as to
stimulate overall socio-economic benefits. Realizing full agricultural potential will require
significant paradigm shifts for agriculture, nutrition and food systems. Promising innovations to
address the current and future challenges in the sector are emerging across the agricultural
landscape, showcasing the combination of great science, technology and collective action
towards a more sustainable future for crop and livestock production on the continent.
For these reasons, the DAAD Agriculture-Alumni Training Network is organizing a one-week
workshop in Kenya. The theme for this year’s workshop is ‘Paradigm shifts in Agricultural
Systems towards Sustainable Land-use in Africa’. This initiative will bring together German
university alumni from East Africa for a 6-day travelling workshop in Kenya from the 28th March
to 2 nd April, 2022. The traveling workshop will entail various stop overs along predetermined
routes to allow participants engage with concrete examples of paradigm shifts in agriculture in
Kenya and East Africa by extension. This will not only provide the alumni with the rare
opportunity to learn more of the new paradigm shifts in Agriculture but also strengthen their
networks with both existing and new colleagues engaging in the agricultural sector. This initiative
is jointly organised by University of Hohenheim, German Institute for Tropical and Subtropical
Agriculture (DITSL) / University of Kassel in Witzenhausen, and the University of Nairobi. The
Alumni program is supported by DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service) and funded by the
German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).

Program highlights:

 Travelling workshop with on-site visits and specialised seminars in Nairobi, Embu,
Nanyuki, and Naivasha

 State of the art work-shop contributions of international scientists addressing paradigm
shifts in agricultural systems for sustainable and innovative land use

 International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) – Kapiti Research Station

 KALRO Kenya Agriculture & Livestock Research Organization - Kenya Climate smart
agriculture and Agricultural policies

 ICIPE - International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology – Integrated Pest
Management

 Ol Pejeta Conservancy - Integrated wildlife conservation and livestock production

 Introduction of exchange opportunities and tools for German-African Alumni-Networks

Costs and Funding:

The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) are kindly supporting the project seminar. 100% of the
accommodation and transportation expenses will be financed. Accommodation expenses include food,
travelling workshop venues, while transportation expenses include flight costs to Kenya and internal
transport within Kenya.