About Us

Centre for Training and Integrated Research in ASAL Development (CETRAD) is a Bilateral Institution between the Government of Kenya (through The Ministry of Water, Sanitation and Irrigation) and the Government of Switzerland, through the Centre for Development and Environment of the University of Berne. CETRAD is based in Nanyuki, Laikipia County, and was established in July 2002 as a follow up of the then Laikipia Research Programme (1976 - 1997).

The CETRAD supports sustainable development of the arid and semi-arid lands (ASALS) of Kenya through research, training and outreach in the keys areas of water and natural resources management and governance; regional development and agrarian transformation; livelihood dynamics; and integrated knowledge management and capacity development. The Centre furthermore provides a robust platform for context sensitive and fair research endeavours; and maintains a broad institutional collaborative and partnership network in East Africa and the Global South.

News  & Notices
Gambella Wetland: Reclaimed, Revived, and Restored for Wildlife and people
By Nyatichi Beverline | |
EARTH ON FIRE
By Nyatichi Beverline | |
IWRM: WATER AND GENDER
By Nyatichi Beverline | |
Turning Trees into Livelihoods
By Nyatichi Beverline | |

IASC CONFERENCE 2023 ANNOUNCEMENT

Land Mark Event
The Biennial IASC Conference June 19 - 24 2023, Nairobi, KENYA

FUTURE COLLECTIVE ACTIONS
A Participatory definition of commons for collective action. Decolonizing - recognizing - valorizing the commons
For more details watch and listen to the following video

IASC CONFERENCE NOW HAPPENING

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MANDATE
  • Understand the natural resource base and assess its potential in view of the ecological and socio-economic dynamics currently taking place in the ASALs;
  • Develop appropriate technological packages and strategies for sustainable resource utilisation to facilitate sustainable development in the ASALs;
  • Understand and integrate the multitude of the sectoral actors and varied strategies and approaches influencing development in the ASALs.
MISSION
  • Assess the potential and utilization of the ASAL through research.
  • Enhance knowledge among planners and development agents of the ASAL through training, planning support and information dissemination.
  • Empower local communities through information dissemination and technology transfer to enable them participate effectively in the ASAL development process
THRUSTS
  • Strategies for Sustainable Development
  • Land Use Planning for sustained livelihood and Optimal Resource Use
  • Promotion of Sustainable Resource use and Management for Improved Productivity
  • Non-farm/Non-pastoral Economic Development, Infrastructure and Services
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Projects
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Loyal Partners
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Featured Projects

TOWARDS FOOD SUSTAINABILITY

CETRAD has been working on several food sustainability projects. The initiatives include Umande Transformative Pilot Actions, Impact of Economic Regimes on Kenyan Food Systems, and Impact of Economic Regimes on Kenyan Food Systems. Is Grabbing the Commons a Promoter to Resilience Grabbing? The Neoliberal Agrarian Development Anti-Politics Machine and Local Responses, Food Sustainability Assessment Framework (FoodSAF) Contents and Indicators, Towards Food Sustainability: Reshaping the Coexistence of Different Food Systems in South America and Africa, research on sustainable governance of food systems in Bolivia (South America) and Kenya, Food Systems in Bolivia and Kenya, as well as Methods of Analysis

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Services

TRAINING

CETRAD offers short-term training courses and provides a platform for academic training programmes from collaborating local and foreign universities and other related research institutions. The short-term courses are designed to impact technical skills and provided field based and practical exposure to the target trainees, normally drawn from government and NGO institutions from the respective training fields. The academic training programmes are offered at Masters, PhD and Post Doc levels.

Our Courses
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What We Do

Programmes, Products & Services

Research

The research efforts of CETRAD are organized around four key thrusts.

Training

CETRAD offers short-term training courses and provides a platform for academic training programmes from collaborating local and foreign universities and other related research institutions

Outreach

The outreach mission of CETRAD is fulfilled through information dissemination and technology transfer.

Policy Influencing

Effective policy influencing is possible when policymakers are engaged strategically. This happens in the chronology of on-point audience identification and analysis, the correct definition of communication objectives, factful choice of messages to disseminate to the policymakers, using the most impactful channels of communication, innovative designing of information materials, and message delivery.

Dissemination and Technology Transfer

We conduct context-specific research and training to foster development in our thematic areas. Through our robust platforms, we aid the transfer of the research findings to our audiences and chart a pathway for joint developments in the ASALs. Dissemination and Technology Transfer is a constituent of our outreach function through which we integrate research into decision-making and policy formulation processes.

Consultancy

Informed decision-making processes and sustainable development result from expert guidance. CETRAD houses experienced professionals whose knowledge can be used in diverse areas. Some of the common areas of consultation include Land Use and Land Cover Assessment, Land Use Planning, Resource Mapping, Monitoring and Assessment through Remote Sensing (RS), and Geographical Information Systems (GIS) among many.

What We Do

Our Online Platforms

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