ACTS

The EVI-SICEE Project is driving evidence-based solutions to scale youth and women-led clean energy enterprises across Africa. The project team members are today in Malawi for a Stakeholders Validation Workshop. Headed by project implementers @mzunionline,the workshop objectives include: ✔️Presenting findings from Malawi’s scoping study, survey & key informant interviews ✔️ Share early insights on system-level barriers & opportunities ✔️ Validate findings with stakeholders ✔️ Co-create pathways for scaling clean energy enterprises #ResearchToImpact #Sustainability #AfricaInnovation #CleanEnergy #WomenInEnergy #YouthEmpowerment @IDRC_CRDI @mzunionline

In pictures: Farmers Day | Lari Horticultural Farmers’ Cooperative Society (LHFCS)

In pictures: Farmers Day | Lari Horticultural Farmers’ Cooperative Society (LHFCS)

🗓️ 14 April 2026 👩🏾‍🌾 👨🏾‍🌾 Farmers in Lari gathered for a Farmers Day hosted by the Lari Horticultural Farmers’ Cooperative Society (LHFCS), bringing together county leadership, extension officers and partners working across production, inputs and markets. Among those present were Chief Officer Benson Ndung’u, CECM for Agriculture, County Government of Kiambu, alongside stakeholders including Stella from FarmRise - Powered By Bayer, Joyce Gema from Tradecare, Linet, Safi Organics Ltd. and Caroline, a key off taker who joined to better understand where her produce comes from. The day centered on lessons from demo farm activities (Oct 2025 – Feb 2026), with a focus on soil preparation, nursery management, pest control and crop-specific practices for carrots, cabbage and potatoes. Farmers shared practical changes already underway, including improved soil preparation, raised nurseries and natural pest control methods like marigold planting and onion use. Key takeaways: 🔸 Start with understanding your farm conditions 🔸 Raised nurseries improve germination 🔸 Crop-specific management is critical 🔸 Integrated pest management reduces chemical use 🔸 Soil health shapes food quality and market trust 🔸 Stronger extension follow-up is needed The importance of food safety and market segmentation also came out strongly, alongside a key moment of exchange between farmers and buyers, reinforcing trust and transparency in the value chain. Looking ahead, LHFCS is focusing on structured planting, traceability, bulk input purchasing and farmer clustering to improve coordination, reduce costs and enhance market access. LHFCS Officer Benson noted that the future of the cooperative lies in moving from individual production to coordinated farming systems that improve both efficiency and bargaining power. Read more here 👉🏾 acts-net.org/lari-horticult… Christine Ndiritu | Patience Mebo Ochieng | Catherine. W. Kilelu | Zipporah Maina #farmersday #LHFCS

Yesterday, a team from the Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Security (@AFNS_ACTS) programme at @ACTSNET paid a courtesy call to the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries, and Veterinary Services in Nakuru County to introduce the work of the African Centre for Technology Studies (ACTS) and explore opportunities for collaboration within the county’s horticulture sector. During the meeting, we highlighted ACTS’ role in advancing policy-oriented research and delivering evidence-based interventions that harness science, technology, and innovation for sustainable development. We focused on our ongoing initiative to catalyse investment in sustainable cooling and cold chain systems to reduce post-harvest losses and open new market opportunities for smallholder farmers. Recognising Nakuru as a key horticultural production hub, we explored potential partnerships with the County Government to identify and strengthen horticultural cooperatives and SMEs. The conversation also emphasised how enhanced cold chain infrastructure can improve value chain efficiency, maintain produce quality, and enable farmers to access more competitive and reliable markets. We also discussed aligning these interventions with county priorities, strengthening institutional linkages, and creating an enabling environment through supportive policy frameworks and coordinated stakeholder engagement. This engagement marks an important step toward building impactful partnerships that will drive resilient, inclusive growth in Nakuru’s agricultural sector. @NakuruCountyGov

📣 Consultancy Opportunity Alert! We are looking for a facilitator to strategically support and guide in co-development of our Strategic Plan for the year 2027 to 2031. ✅ Objective The primary objective of this consultancy is to facilitate and guide the development of a new Strategic Plan for the organization. At the end of the process the main goal is to develop a Strategic Plan that builds upon our achievements as well as the external operating environment in the Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) ecosystem. ✅ Expected Deliverables 🔹 A structured plan on how to support the four working groups based on available internal resources and mapped external environment. 🔹 A format for the five-year Strategic Plan – 2027-2031; and structured plan on how to align the available resources to this format. 🔹 A programme for engaging the stakeholders for their input towards the strategic plan co-development. 🔹 Facilitating in at least four strategic planning meetings/webinars/workshops involving all stakeholders. 🔹 First draft strategic plan co-developed with all stakeholders. Visit 👉🏾acts-net.org/opportunities/… to learn more and apply! Deadline: 30th April 2026

🌍 What does “impact” in climate adaptation really mean and how do we get there? This week in Cape Town, the CLARE Capacity Strengthening Hub (@ACTSNET & @PlanAdapt ) in partnership with @SouthSouthNorth are hosting the CLARE CS Hub Seasonal School that brings together researchers and practitioners to examine how adaptation research can move beyond knowledge generation to drive real-world change. The focus is on strengthening capacities to enhance the impact of adaptation research. At the heart of the discussions is a shift from producing outputs to shaping outcomes. Conversations are focusing on what effective adaptation looks like, as well as the systems, partnerships and pathways needed to translate research into action. There is also a growing emphasis on moving from defining impact to co-creating solutions. A shared understanding is forming that impact goes beyond reports and publications and is reflected in influence, relationships and lasting change over time. A timely reminder that meaningful climate adaptation is not just about what we know, but how that knowledge is applied, by whom and for whom. Heidi Braun | Laura Owings Rawden | Michelle Hahn-Baker | Joel Onyango |Tamara Nyirenda | Adéle Hosken | Suzanne Carter | Martin Rokitzki | Dr. Ruth Wambui (PhD) | Monroe Dikiny | Lisa Manya | Roy Bouwer | Xoliswa Ndeleni | Jamie Adams | Sumetee Pahwa Gajjar | Carys Richards | Biplav Pradhan | Alannah Hofemeier | Phuu Thit Kyaw | Dorcas Kalele, Ph.D | Salome Okoth | Maureen Kabasa | Fiona Makayoto | ROSALIA KYENGO | Ursulla Wandili CLARE Programme | @IDRC_CRDI | @IDRC_BRACO | @IDRC_ESARO | @IDRCinAsia Photo Credit: Jamie Adams, SSN Learn more about CLARE and the CS Hub here: 👉🏾 clareprogramme.org/project/clare-… 👩🏾‍💻 👨🏾‍💻 Stay tuned for more updates! #CLimateAdaptationREsilience

📣 We are Hiring! We’re looking for a Finance Officer to join our team. The officer will work within the Finance & Administration Department and will support day-to-day financial operations. Key Responsibilities: 🔹Manage day-to-day financial operations (payments, reconciliations, reporting) 🔹Ensure compliance with internal policies and statutory requirements 🔹Prepare donor reports and budget vs actual reports 🔹Support internal and external audits 🔹Strengthen internal controls, policies and procedures 🔹Supervise and guide the accounts assistant Minimum Requirements: 🔹Bachelor’s degree in Accounting or related field 🔹Active ICPAK membership 🔹At least 3 years’ experience in a donor-funded setup 🔹Proficiency in accounting systems (Microsoft Business Central is a plus) Visit 👉🏾 acts-net.org/opportunities/… to learn more and apply! #IkoKazi #IkoKaziKe #OpportunityAlert

Call for Papers: #AfricaLics2026 is now open! Be part of the 7th AfricaLics International Conference in Johannesburg (10–12 November 2026). Theme: Critical, Retrospective and Creative Perspectives on Innovation and Society in Africa. Submit your original research (max. 8,000 words) Abstract deadline: 17 April 2026 Link: conftool.net/africalics2026/ #CallForPapers #InnovationInAfrica #AfricanScholarship

For the next two days, stakeholders from across the clean energy ecosystem will share evidence and build knowledge in pursuit of a stronger future for youth and women building clean energy enterprises. #YouthInCleanEnergy @ACTSNET @KenyaCIC

Opening remarks on behalf of YEDF CEO Mr. Benedict Atavachi were delivered by Ms. Jemima Mawia, P&RMO. She reaffirmed the Fund’s commitment to supporting youth in building businesses and creating livelihoods in the clean energy sector. #YouthInCleanEnergy @ACTSNET @KenyaCIC

On 16–27 March, the Chair, in collaboration with @ACTSNET, as part of a project supported by the @IDRC_CRDI, conducted fieldwork in Johannesburg & surrounding areas to examine systemic factors shaping the Climate Innovation Entrepreneurship Ecosystem.  #UJTRCI #CleanEnegry

4/4 Thirteen youth entrepreneurs from 10 counties were recognized after completing a nine month incubation programme in clean energy enterprise development. Mr Atavachi urged them to apply the knowledge gained, build viable enterprises, and mentor others. #YouthInCleanEnergy

3/4 He said the workshop created an important platform for building awareness, strengthening enterprise skills, and improving coordination among institutions that support youth led businesses. The forum was held under the EVI SICEE project in Kenya #YouthInCleanEnergy

2/4 CEO, Benedict Atavachi said Kenya’s clean energy sector offers real opportunities for young people in solar, clean cooking, bioenergy, energy efficiency, productive use solutions, and climate smart innovation. He noted that many youth still face barriers #YouthInCleanEnergy

1/4 YEDF Ag. CEO Mr Benedict Atavachi called upon youth to take up opportunities in clean energy entrepreneurship. He urged them to build enterprises that create jobs, raise incomes and protect the environment locally. #YouthInCleanEnergy @chuka__uni @ACTSNET @KenyaCIC

This partnership is transformative for smallholder farmers, unlocking access to sustainable cold-chain solutions that minimise post-harvest losses, improve produce quality, and connect farmers to enhanced markets. Today’s discussions have laid the groundwork for implementation, collaboration, and meaningful community impact. @ustawiafrika is joining a growing network of communities leading innovation in sustainable cold-chain development to build resilient food systems across Kenya. 🌱 Empowering farmers ❄️ Reducing food loss 📈 Strengthening market access Building resilient, inclusive, and sustainable food systems. @UNEP | @UNEP_Africa | @cleancoolingorg | @U4Efficiency | @AFNS_ACTS #ACTS #ACES #SustainableCooling #ColdChain #Agriculture #FoodSystems #Innovation #Kenya #Nyeri #FarmerFirst #ClimateAction

ACTS - ACES/SPOKE × USTAWI AFRIKA 🤝 Today marks a significant milestone. After a productive inception meeting in Naromoru, Nyeri, Kenya, the African Centre for Technology Studies (ACTS), through the ACES #SPOKE programme, has officially partnered with Ustawi Afrika to launch the Try Before You Buy (TBYB) initiative to stimulate investment in sustainable cooling. This is the second community set to be supported by the project, following a successful pilot with the Lari Horticultural Cooperative Society in Kinale, Kiambu, Kenya.

🗣️ Calling all Innovators, Entrepreneurs & MSMEs 📘The Intellectual Property Handbook is now available here 👉🏾gdih.org/intellectual-p… 🎉 This handbook offers a practical guide on protecting innovations & IP and turning them into real business value. Download your copy today!

🌱 Empowering Women in Agriculture: Voices from LARI Horticultural Cooperative 🗓️ Wednesday, 25 March 2026 - The Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Security (@AFNS_ACTS ) team at ACTS engaged in a focused discussion with women farmers of the LARI Horticultural Farmers' Cooperative Society (LHFCS) in Lari Sub-county, County Government of Kiambu. The session, titled “Empowering LARI Horticulture Cooperative through Gender and Social Inclusion (GESI)”, was facilitated by Dr. Caroline Mbaya, Dorcas Kalele, Ph.D and Patience Mebo Ochieng. The conversation centered on one core question: what does it take for women to thrive in the agriculture value chain? The women shared their realities candidly, highlighting the barriers and inequalities that limit their full participation in agri-food systems. 🗣️ Key insights from the discussion: 🔸 Leadership & Decision-Making: "We are members — but when decisions are made, we are not in the room." Despite leading much of the on-groundwork, women’s voices are still often absent at the cooperative decision-making table. 🔸 Farming Realities: Daily challenges include access to quality inputs, unpredictable weather, water scarcity, limited land ownership and weak market linkages. Seasonal shifts and droughts threaten both harvests and households, while credit and land remain largely inaccessible. 🔸 Women’s Priorities: ✅ Hands-on skills training in their local language ✅ Agri-tech and digital tools to work smarter, reach markets and increase profitability ✅ Leadership and negotiation skills, practiced during the session to strengthen participation in cooperative decision-making The solutions identified by the participants reflect a clear understanding of their own needs, calling on organizations to provide the systems, training and support structures necessary for these women to assume leadership roles effectively. Following the discussions, A Women’s Advocacy Champions Platform was launched to strengthen collective action and ensure women’s representation within the cooperative. Stay tuned for further updates on the implementation and impact of this platform! #WomenInAgriculture #GESI #LARICooperative #WomenEmpowerment