Conference Themes

The 2nd KALRO Scientific Conference and Innovation Expo 2026

Main Conference Theme

2nd KALRO Scientific Conference and Innovation Expo 2026

"Innovations for Sustainable Agri-food Systems, Climate Change Resilience and Improved Livelihoods"

The 2nd KALRO Scientific Conference and Innovation Expo 2026 is organized under the theme "Innovations for Sustainable Agri-food Systems, Climate Change Resilience and Improved Livelihoods", which is guided by the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA) and framed within the global Green Economy and emerging Blue Economy.

The forum lays emphasis on scientific innovations as a driver of productivity, sustainability, and commercialization. The Conference sub themes invite evidence based contributions that demonstrate how agricultural research can improve farmer incomes, enhance resilience to climate change, and expand opportunities across value chains.

Papers are expected to bridge research and practice, offering insights that inform policy, empower communities, and advance Kenya's transformation agenda.

Conference Sub-Themes

17 comprehensive sub-themes guiding the conference discussions and paper submissions

17 Sub-Themes Multidisciplinary Topics
1

Crop Varieties, Increased Productivity and Production Management

Improved varieties and integrated crop management practices drive food security and resilience, enhancing productivity across diverse agro ecologies.

Expected Papers:
  • Breeding results and safeguarding breeders' rights
  • Agronomic interventions
  • Productivity assessments
  • Crop management innovations
2

Sustainable Seed Systems, Quality Assurance and Scalability

Seed systems underpin adoption and resilience, ensuring farmers access reliable, affordable, and high quality seed at scale.

Expected Papers:
  • Seed production and distribution successes and challenges
  • Seed certification interventions
  • Scalability case studies and models
  • Seed system analyses
3

Plant Health, Emerging Crop Pests and Diseases, Biosecurity and Phytosanitary Systems

Diagnostics, surveillance, and phytosanitary measures safeguard crops against endemic and emerging threats while enabling market access.

Expected Papers:
  • Pest diagnostics, monitoring, surveillance and early warning
  • Integrated pest and disease management strategies
  • Responsible use of pesticides
  • Biosecurity protocols, and phytosanitary interventions
4

Plant Nutrition, Soil Health and Conservation Agriculture

Nutrient management, fertility enhancement, and conservation practices sustain long term productivity and enable replenishment of land resources.

Expected Papers:
  • Soil amendment interventions
  • Nutrient management strategies
  • Conservation agriculture case studies
5

Water Harvesting, Conservation and Irrigation Systems

Efficient water harvesting and irrigation technologies expand production and strengthen resilience under climate-induced stresses.

Expected Papers:
  • Irrigation technologies
  • Water harvesting models
  • Water management and conservation practices
  • Drainage interventions
6

Ecological Organic Farming Systems, Renewable Energy Integration and Circular Economy

Organic systems, renewable energy, and circular approaches regenerate ecosystems while reducing environmental footprints.

Expected Papers:
  • Organic farming techniques and results
  • Application of natural energy resources
  • Recycling, composting and circular economy models
7

Climate Change, Land Degradation and Reclamation

Adaptation strategies and reclamation practices restore degraded lands and strengthen resilience against climate impacts.

Expected Papers:
  • Climate adaptation and mitigation strategies
  • Land restoration interventions
  • Resilience frameworks
8

Agrodiversity and Genetic Resources

Conserving and harnessing genetic diversity fuels innovation and resilience for future farming systems.

Expected Papers:
  • Germplasm characterization
  • Genetic conservation and retrieval systems
  • Agrodiversity utilization
9

Animal Feed Resources, Nutrition and Husbandry Practices

Feed resource development, nutrition strategies, and husbandry innovations and rangeland management improve livestock productivity and welfare.

Expected Papers:
  • Feed resources, forage agronomy, forage breeding
  • Nutrition products
  • Husbandry innovations, pastoralism, range ecology
  • Rangeland restoration strategies and grazing management
10

Livestock Breeds, Breeding Practices and Emerging Livestock Species

Breeding programs and emerging species offer pathways to resilient and productive stocks.

Expected Papers:
  • Breeding program results
  • Genetic evaluations
  • Genotype-environment interactions
  • Breeding strategies, and emerging livestock
11

Animal Health, Sanitary Systems and Emerging Livestock Pests and Diseases

Vaccine research, epidemiology, diagnostics, surveillance, sanitary measures enhance livestock productivity, food safety, One Health and market access.

Expected Papers:
  • Vaccine breakthroughs
  • Disease epidemiology, disease surveillance
  • Antimicrobial resistance, sanitary protocols and traceability
  • Emerging and remerging zoonoses, vector-borne diseases and pest management
12

Apiculture, Beneficial Insects and Ecosystem Services

Pollinators and beneficial insects sustain biodiversity, ecosystem services, and rural incomes.

Expected Papers:
  • Apiculture innovations, bee breeds and breeding
  • Hive technology, bee absconding, emerging bee health challenges
  • Pollination studies, insect based ecosystem services
  • Insects for food and feed
13

Biotechnological Solutions to Crop, Livestock and Natural Resource Management Challenges

Biotechnological innovations provide scalable solutions to persistent challenges in farming and resource management.

Expected Papers:
  • Genetic engineering, gene editing
  • Biotech products, and techniques
  • Molecular diagnostics
  • Biotech applications
14

Food Safety, Value Addition and Cottage Industries

Food safety systems and value addition technologies strengthen markets, competitiveness, and livelihoods.

Expected Papers:
  • Food safety challenges and interventions
  • Value addition technologies
  • Cottage industry case studies and models
15

Mechanization in Agricultural Systems

Mechanization drives efficiency and competitiveness across agricultural systems, reducing drudgery, improving precision, and strengthening productivity.

Expected Papers:
  • Machine design, fabrication and testing
  • Equipment innovations, adoption studies
  • Mechanization of production, processing, and value addition processes
16

Technology Transfer Approaches, Knowledge Co Creation and Scaling Pathways, ICT Enabled Precision Systems

Extension approaches, co creation, and ICT precision tools accelerate adoption and scaling of innovations.

Expected Papers:
  • Extension models
  • ICT applications, utilization of databases
  • ICT-based predictions and advisories
  • Scaling case studies
17

Agribusiness Models, Agri Financing, Agri Policy Frameworks and Entrepreneurship

Business models, financing mechanisms, entrepreneurship strategies and policy guidelines drive commercialization and resilient livelihoods.

Expected Papers:
  • Business models, financing mechanisms
  • Policy analyses, agri-insurance
  • Entrepreneurship case studies
  • Gender and agri-demographics, and impact assessments

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6

Crop-related Themes

4

Livestock-related Themes

7

Technology & Systems Themes

17

Total Sub-themes