Food Systems and Ecosystem Restoration: An Exploratory Research Exchange in Kenya

Ecosystems provide fundamental functions for food systems, are essential for freshwater provision and biodiversity conservation, and play a crucial role in climate change adaptation. This is especially important in the vulnerable mountain regions of arid and semiarid landscapes that have high levels of food insecurity (Romeo et al 2020). To address food insecurity and support sustainable food systems, the strong potential for synergies (O'Connell 2022) with ecosystem restoration must be realized (Mathez-Stiefel et al 2023). To address questions around the creation of such synergies, researchers from the Centre for Development and Environment (CDE) and the Centre for Training and Integrated Research in Arid and Semi-Arid Landscape Development (CETRAD) engaged in an exploratory research exchange in July and August 2024 in Kenya, funded by Leading House Africa, a Swiss government initiative. This article gives brief insight into our first findings and the potential for further research and collaboration.