Researchers warn Kenya's broken pledge risks worsening hunger

Prof. Dickson Andala, CEO of the National Research Fund (second right) and Dr. Shaukat Abdulrazak, Principal Secretary for Science, Research and Innovation (third right) tour exhibitions at the Kenya National Research Festival 2025 at Egerton University.

Kenya has yet to meet its pledge of spending 2 per cent of gross domestic product on research, even as leaders warn food insecurity is worsening.

This was revealed during the opening of the Kenya National Research Festival on Monday, August 19, at the University of Nairobi, where researchers raised concern that chronic underfunding was crippling innovation in agriculture and other key sectors.

Prof. Dickson Andala, CEO of the National Research Fund, stressed that investing in research was crucial for developing technologies to address food scarcity. “We cannot continue ignoring science when the country is facing recurring droughts and declining yields. Research is the only sustainable way forward,” he noted.

Dr. Shaukat Abdulrazak, Principal Secretary for Science, Research and Innovation, observed that the country was falling behind global peers because of underinvestment. “Our neighbours are advancing in biotechnology and food security, while we struggle with limited resources. Kenya must act now to close this gap,” he explained.

Other experts warned that without proper funding, Kenya risked worsening food insecurity and undermining economic growth.