The Environment for Development Kenya (EfD-Kenya) in collaboration with the Kenya Institute for Public Policy Research and Analysis (KIPPRA) held a Policy Research workshop at the La Mada Hotel on July 14th – 15th 2016. The objective of the workshop was to share and discuss proposals for 2017 funding and also finalize drafting of the Research Policy Review/Strategy for 2016-2020.
EfD-Kenya Coordinator, Prof Jane Mariara, on her part gave a brief presentation on the initiative and activities that EfD is undertaking in the region. She said the objectives of the workshop were to:
i. To discuss EfD-Kenya proposals for 2017 funding
ii. To discuss the ongoing research on water demand in Kenya
iii. To review data available for the water project
iv. To finalize drafting of EfD-Kenya Research Policy Review/Strategy 2016-2020
During the two-day workshop, researchers presented the proposals they have been working on and participants’ commented on them. Each research proposal presented was discussed and critiqued by peers. The presenters were advised to incorporate the comments made before submitting to the EfD Initiative via Editorial express before July 18, 2016.
Prof Mariara explained to participants that EfD-Kenya is one of the six centres in the EfD initiative across the world. She said EfD-Kenya’s role is to work in close collaboration with individuals and institutions in the public sector, policy research and academia at the local and international level. She noted that EfD-Kenya has grown and needs to expand into other sectors such as industry, energy, forestry, green-growth and agriculture. Prof Mariara said EfD’s role is simply to conduct research. However, the decision to implement such research findings is purely a prerogative of the institutions receiving the policies, thus the need to continually engage with policy stakeholders.
