ALL-IN Project Seminar on the Impact of Agro-Weather Advisory Services, held on January 26, 2024, at Tegemeo Institute's Boardroom, Nairobi. Participants Included Tegemeo Team, Officers from the Kenya Meteorological Department and Professor Mills of Virginia Tech and State University.

How can the provision of high-quality agro-weather advisories to the Agriculture sector be funded without excluding some farmers?.

 "County Rainfall Trend 1990–2022"  Illustrates rainfall variation within counties in Kenya

"County Rainfall Trend 1990–2022" 

Visit the link: County Rainfall Trend 1990-2022

 "Rainfall Trends Across Counties 1990–2022"  Compares seasonal rainfall across counties in Kenya to the Long Term mean (LTM).

Visit the link: Rainfall Trends Acrros Counties 1990-2022

In this podcast series, Policy Pathways discusses the policy challenges of food, land, and water system transformation in Kenya. The project is brought to you by the CGIAR National Policies and Strategies Initiative and produced by the International Water Management Institute. Among the participants are the host, Raissa Okoi, a journalist based in Dakar, Senegal, Dr. Karugia Joseph, the Principal Scientist at the International Livestock Research Institute, Boniface Mburu , an Agricultural Economist and Policy Expert; and Dr. Lilian Kirimi, a Senior Research Fellow at the Tegemeo Institute of Agricultural Policy and Development-Egerton University.

Large-scale food fortification (LSFF) programs have potential to improve a population’s nutritional status. Though their success depends heavily on the prevailing policy environment, few tools exist to understand this environment. To address this gap, we develop a novel framework to define and assess the policy enabling environment for LSFF. This easy-toapply framework can be used in any setting to track progress and identify next steps for continued improvements. The policy enabling environment is conceptualized as having three domains—policy agenda setting, policy implementation, and policy monitoring and evaluation—each of which is captured through indicators that can be evaluated using existing documentation, key informant interviews, and/or a survey of stakeholder perceptions. To validate the framework and demonstrate how it can be operationalized, we apply it in Kenya, where a mandatory LSFF program for salt has been in place since 1978, and a program for packaged maize and wheat flours and vegetable oils was introduced in 2012. Per our assessment,

The Conference 2017 Participants

The Institute held a successful two-day biennial policy conference under the theme “Transforming Agriculture for Inclusive Growth and Sustainable Livelihoods”, to share its research findings and facilitate dialogue among stakeholders on the way forward for transforming agriculture.

Conference research findings and discussions revolved around the thematic areas of productivity and input use, sustainable livelihoods and inclusivity in agriculture, consumption and welfare as well as how we can harness technology for sustainable agriculture transformation.

Deliberations were made to seek for strategies that will continue to move the agricultural sector and the nation at large forward. The agricultural sector plays a key role in Kenya’s food security and overall economic growth. The sector is a key driver of the economic pillar of the Kenya Vision 2030, contributing about a third of the country’s Gross Domestic Product. Despite this critical role, the sector continues to face many challenges that include low agricultural productivity, unsustainable production systems, low input use, high input costs and climate variability and change.

In a devolved system, and to continue playing its critical role in the economy, agriculture must be transformed to cope with the changing production, marketing and policy environments, and hence ensure broad, inclusive and sustainable growth. In addition, stakeholders need to consider agriculture’s contribution to food and nutrition security in a holistic manner.

The Conference participants were drawn from the public sector, private sector organizations, civil society, development agencies, universities, and research institutes, among others.

Conference Proceedings

In the News... 

 Maximizing impact is not just about investing resources—it’s about investing wisely. This compelling discussion brings together leading voices in development and innovation to explore how evidence-based approaches can transform well-intentioned efforts into real-world success stories.

 Alexander Pfaff of Duke University highlights the need to critically evaluate what works and what does not to ensure that resources are directed toward strategies with proven impact. He underscores the need for humility within public institutions to allow for learning about what works and what does not.

 Mercy Kamau, a Senior Research Fellow and a development evaluation expert from Tegemeo Institute, brings focus  to agriculture, emphasizing rigorous impact evaluations to ensure public spending delivers measurable benefits, citing investments in fertilizer subsidy and irrigation as examples where rigorous impact evaluation would provide evidence to support decisions to either 'STOP or Go'.

Tara Chiu of the Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Markets, Risk and Resillience advocates building on existing evidence rather than starting from scratch. She emphasizes on the importance of cost-effective programs grounded in what works while continuously measuring and refining strategies for greater impacts.

The experts call for a shift towards smarter, evidence-driven decision making, one that turns innovation into powerful tools for positive change.

                                Watch this clip above to learn how we can make every investment count.

Tegemeo Institute, Egerton University holds an end-of-project outreach and dissemination workshop on ‘Impact of Agro-weather Advisories on Productivity and

Resilience in Farming Communities in Kenya’.

Weather variability and climate change have attenuated farmers’ ability to make good farming decisions. Programs that seek to increase farmers’ access to farming-related advice that is based on weather realities are likely to increase farm productivity and farm households’ resilience to weather-related shocks. Rarely do we interrogate questions on whether such weather-based advisories cause the hypothesized outcomes.

Tegemeo Institute of Egerton University received a grant from USAID’s Feed the Future (FtF), through an initiative of the Markets, Risk and Resilience Innovation

Lab (MRR IL) of the University of California, Davis, USA, and the International Centre for Evaluation and Development (ICED). The initiative is aimed at Advancing Local Leadership, Innovation and Networks (ALL-IN) in African research institutions. The grant supported a project on ‘The Impact of Digital Agro-weather Advisories on Productivity and Resilience in Pastoral and Farming Communities in Kenya’. This study targeted farmers who were beneficiaries of the Government of Kenya/World Bank’s (GOK/WB) Kenya Climate Smart Agriculture Project (KCSAP).

Tegemeo Institute will hold an end-of-project outreach and dissemination workshop after the successful completion of the project. This event will be held in Nakuru

on 9th December 2024. The objectives of the workshop are to: i) present study findings and receive feedback from participants; ii) facilitate a dialogue and provide a forum

for an exchange of perspectives on the findings and other aspects of the project; and iii) discuss the value of impact studies in the agriculture sector. Participants will be drawn from the government (national and county level), the private sector, farming communities and farmer associations, development agencies, research organizations and providers of climate information services.

1.  Event Program

Download End of Project Outreach and Dissemination Stakeholder Workshop    

2. Policy Briefs 

Willingness to Pay for Agro-Weather Messages Among Kenyan Farmers

Authors:Dr. Mercy Kamau, John Mburu, Prof. Bradford Mills and Dr. Lilian Kirimi

About MRR and ALL-IN Initiative Handout 

3. Other Artefacts

The value of rigorous evidence for effective development programming Youtube clip.

 4. Event Presentations

You will gain access to the presentations soon!. 

SESSION I

SESSION II

SESSION III

SESSION IV

SESSION V

 Maximizing impact is not just about investing resources—it’s about investing wisely. This compelling discussion brings together leading voices in development and innovation to explore how evidence-based approaches can transform well-intentioned efforts into real-world success stories.

 Alexander Pfaff of Duke University highlights the need to critically evaluate what works and what does not to ensure that resources are directed toward strategies with proven impact. He underscores the need for humility within public institutions to allow for learning about what works and what does not.

 Mercy Kamau, a Senior Research Fellow and a development evaluation expert from Tegemeo Institute, brings focus  to agriculture, emphasizing rigorous impact evaluations to ensure public spending delivers measurable benefits, citing investments in fertilizer subsidy and irrigation as examples where rigorous impact evaluation would provide evidence to support decisions to either 'STOP or Go'.

Tara Chiu of the Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Markets, Risk and Resillience advocates building on existing evidence rather than starting from scratch. She emphasizes on the importance of cost-effective programs grounded in what works while continuously measuring and refining strategies for greater impacts.

The experts call for a shift towards smarter, evidence-driven decision making, one that turns innovation into powerful tools for positive change.

                                Watch this clip above to learn how we can make every investment count.

Tegemeo Institute, Egerton University holds an end-of-project outreach and dissemination workshop on ‘Impact of Agro-weather Advisories on Productivity and

Resilience in Farming Communities in Kenya’.

Weather variability and climate change have attenuated farmers’ ability to make good farming decisions. Programs that seek to increase farmers’ access to farming-related advice that is based on weather realities are likely to increase farm productivity and farm households’ resilience to weather-related shocks. Rarely do we interrogate questions on whether such weather-based advisories cause the hypothesized outcomes.

Tegemeo Institute of Egerton University received a grant from USAID’s Feed the Future (FtF), through an initiative of the Markets, Risk and Resilience Innovation

Lab (MRR IL) of the University of California, Davis, USA, and the International Centre for Evaluation and Development (ICED). The initiative is aimed at Advancing Local Leadership, Innovation and Networks (ALL-IN) in African research institutions. The grant supported a project on ‘The Impact of Digital Agro-weather Advisories on Productivity and Resilience in Pastoral and Farming Communities in Kenya’. This study targeted farmers who were beneficiaries of the Government of Kenya/World Bank’s (GOK/WB) Kenya Climate Smart Agriculture Project (KCSAP).

Tegemeo Institute will hold an end-of-project outreach and dissemination workshop after the successful completion of the project. This event will be held in Nakuru

on 9th December 2024. The objectives of the workshop are to: i) present study findings and receive feedback from participants; ii) facilitate a dialogue and provide a forum

for an exchange of perspectives on the findings and other aspects of the project; and iii) discuss the value of impact studies in the agriculture sector. Participants will be drawn from the government (national and county level), the private sector, farming communities and farmer associations, development agencies, research organizations and providers of climate information services.

1.  Event Program

Download End of Project Outreach and Dissemination Stakeholder Workshop    

2. Policy Briefs 

Willingness to Pay for Agro-Weather Messages Among Kenyan Farmers

Authors:Dr. Mercy Kamau, John Mburu, Prof. Bradford Mills and Dr. Lilian Kirimi

About MRR and ALL-IN Initiative Handout 

3. Other Artefacts

The value of rigorous evidence for effective development programming Youtube clip.

 4. Event Presentations

You will gain access to the presentations soon!. 

SESSION I

About MRR and ALL-IN Initiative Handout 

 ALL-IN Remarks-ICED Sara Ameso

 Advancing Local, Leadership, Innovation, and Networks- Tara Chiu

 What is Impact Evaluation?- Bradford Mills

SESSION II

SESSION III

SESSION IV

SESSION V

Tegemeo Institute, Egerton University holds an end-of-project outreach and dissemination workshop on ‘Impact of Agro-weather Advisories on Productivity and

Resilience in Farming Communities in Kenya’.

Weather variability and climate change have attenuated farmers’ ability to make good farming decisions. Programs that seek to increase farmers’ access to farming-related advice that is based on weather realities are likely to increase farm productivity and farm households’ resilience to weather-related shocks. Rarely do we interrogate questions on whether such weather-based advisories cause the hypothesized outcomes.

Tegemeo Institute of Egerton University received a grant from USAID’s Feed the Future (FtF), through an initiative of the Markets, Risk and Resilience Innovation

Lab (MRR IL) of the University of California, Davis, USA, and the International Centre for Evaluation and Development (ICED). The initiative is aimed at Advancing Local Leadership, Innovation and Networks (ALL-IN) in African research institutions. The grant supported a project on ‘The Impact of Digital Agro-weather Advisories on Productivity and Resilience in Pastoral and Farming Communities in Kenya’. This study targeted farmers who were beneficiaries of the Government of Kenya/World Bank’s (GOK/WB) Kenya Climate Smart Agriculture Project (KCSAP).

Tegemeo Institute will hold an end-of-project outreach and dissemination workshop after the successful completion of the project. This event will be held in Nakuru

on 9th December 2024. The objectives of the workshop are to: i) present study findings and receive feedback from participants; ii) facilitate a dialogue and provide a forum

for an exchange of perspectives on the findings and other aspects of the project; and iii) discuss the value of impact studies in the agriculture sector. Participants will be drawn from the government (national and county level), the private sector, farming communities and farmer associations, development agencies, research organizations and providers of climate information services.

1.  Event Program

Download End of Project Outreach and Dissemination Stakeholder Workshop    

2. Policy Briefs 

Willingness to Pay for Agro-Weather Messages Among Kenyan Farmers

Authors:Dr. Mercy Kamau, John Mburu, Prof. Bradford Mills and Dr. Lilian Kirimi

About MRR and ALL-IN Initiative Handout 

3. Other Artefacts

The value of rigorous evidence for effective development programming Youtube clip.

County officials stated that they were taking bold steps to bring order and fairness to local markets through the development of a new Market Regulation Policy and Market Management Bill, aimed at protecting consumers, wholesalers, and retailers. They emphasized that these frameworks were essential for the effective governance of markets across the county and would support the planned transformation of Kibuye Market into an ultra-modern "Jumuiya Market," as recognized by the East African Community. During a meeting with representatives from the EAC, Tegemeo Institute (Egerton University), and the FAO—led by FAO Country Representative Hamisi Williams—it was reported that interim findings had been presented on integrating nutrition criteria into wholesale market investments. Officials noted that this input would help guide healthier and more sustainable market development. They also mentioned that the County Minister of Trade, Farida Salim, and Deputy City Manager, Charles Omollo, were present to demonstrate the administration’s collective commitment to these critical initiatives.

Read more Market Regulation policy and Market Management

Tegemeo Institute of Agricultural Policy and Development, Egerton University, is proud to announce the distinguished appointment of Dr. Lilian Kirimi to the Board of the African Network of Agricultural Policy Research Institutes (ANAPRI)—a premier continental platform that brings together leading agricultural policy research institutions across Africa to advance evidence-based policy formulation and implementation. She was appointed, along other members namely; Prof.Andrew E. Temu, Board Chairperson, Dr.Vera Songwe, Finance and Audit Expert, Dr.David Nielson, Institutional Development and Partnerships Expert, Dr.Salomo Mbai, Southern Africa Regional Representative, Prof.Peter Quartey, West and North Africa Regional Representative and Dr.Ndèye Fatou Faye, Technical Representative,which took place during the 23^rd ANAPRI Board meeting, from January 22-24, 2026, at Victoria Falls Resort, Zimbambwe.

Dr. Kirimi’s appointment reflects her stature as a nationally and regionally respected agricultural economist and policy research leader, whose work continues to shape discourse at the intersection of research, policy, and development practice. She currently serves as a Senior Research Fellow and Research Coordinator at Tegemeo Institute, where she has played a pivotal role in generating rigorous policy-relevant research that informs government decision-making, donor programming, and institutional reform within Kenya and beyond.

She holds a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Agricultural Economics from Michigan State University (USA), alongside a Master’s and Bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Economics from Egerton University. This strong academic foundation has enabled her to bridge advanced economic theory with applied policy analysis tailored to the realities of African agricultural systems.

At the national level, Dr. Kirimi is widely recognized for her contributions to agricultural transformation,food security, value chain development, production economics, gender-responsive policy analysis, and institutional economics. Her research has informed key policy discussions on smallholder commercialization, climate-resilient agriculture, market access, and the design of inclusive agricultural support systems. Through her work, she has consistently supported Kenya’s broader development agenda by translating research evidence into actionable insights for policymakers and development partners.

Dr. Kirimi has also provided leadership in multi-stakeholder research initiatives involving government ministries, county governments, regional bodies, and international development organizations, positioning her as a trusted voice in national policy dialogue. Her ability to engage senior policymakers, technical experts, and development practitioners alike has strengthened the relevance and uptake of research outputs in policy and investment decisions.

Her appointment to the ANAPRI Board underscores her proven capacity for strategic governance, institutional leadership, and regional collaboration. In this role, she will contribute to guiding ANAPRI’s strategic direction, strengthening its governance frameworks, and advancing its mission to promote high-quality, Africa-led agricultural policy research that supports sustainable economic growth and food system transformation.

This appointment not only recognizes Dr. Kirimi’s professional excellence but also highlights Tegemeo Institute’s leadership role in national and continental agricultural policy research ecosystems.

We extend our warmest congratulations to Dr. Lilian Kirimi on this distinguished appointment and wish her continued success as she contributes to shaping the future of agricultural policy research and development across Africa.

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