PS Dokota Participates in Kenya National Research Festival 2025
The Principal Secretary State Department for Cabinet Affairs Dr. Idris Dakota, CBS, was honoured to participate in the Kenya National Research Festival 2025, held at Egerton University, Njoro Campus in Nakuru County. The event which brought together a diverse array of stakeholders including scholars, policymakers, researchers, innovators, development partners, and industry leaders under the theme: “Empowering Communities through Research, Science, Technology, and Innovation.”
The Research Festival, now in its second edition, serves as a premier platform for cross-sectoral collaboration aimed at translating research into actionable solutions for Kenya’s development agenda. Dr. Dokota’s presence at the festival underscores the State Department’s commitment to ensuring that science, research, and innovation remain central to national planning and policy coordination at the highest levels of government.
In his keynote address, Dr. Dokota delivered a powerful call to action, urging all stakeholders to actively align their expertise and innovations with national development priorities. Emphasizing the urgency of building sustainable, equitable, and resilient food systems, he reiterated that achieving food security is not just a national priority but a shared global mission.
“The importance of this year’s Research Festival cannot be overstated; the stakes are high, and the urgency is real. We must harness the spirit of innovation, inquiry, and collaboration to deliver tangible solutions and a hopeful future for generations to come,” said Dr. Dokota.
He further challenged delegates to focus on practical, scalable outcomes that can be implemented across Kenya’s counties and Agro-ecological zones. His address laid out a roadmap for a collaborative ecosystem where government, research institutions, the private sector, and community-based actors work hand-in-hand to solve Kenya’s most pressing challenges.
During the Festival, Dr. Dokota addressed multiple stakeholders directly with a set of focused messages: to the research community: He urged them to design with the user in mind, allocate resources for demonstration and standardization, and critically measure outcomes beyond the academic paper to drive real-world impact, to county governments: He encouraged co-investment in research missions tailored to local Agro-ecological conditions and called for inclusive platforms where farmers, cooperatives, and SMEs can directly contribute to innovation pathways.
Dr. Dokota emphasized the need for the business community to become co-designers and early adopters, noting that procurement decisions in the private sector can rapidly move innovation from pilot to scale.
He called for support in de-risking, verifying, and scaling innovation, advocating for a funding model where every shilling in public research unlocks five in private adoption.
The PS affirmed that their ideas will define the country’s future food systems and regional leadership in innovation. “This is your moment,” he said, encouraging them to rise to the occasion with bold, transformative ideas. Reaffirming the Department's commitment, Dr. Dokota highlighted the need for closer coordination between research policy, commercialization frameworks, and inter-ministerial collaboration. He pledged that the State Department for Cabinet Affairs will continue to champion policies that leapfrog funding mechanisms and accelerate the commercialization of research outputs ensuring that government-backed research results in real, tangible benefits for citizens.
The festival also provided opportunities to strengthen inter-agency linkages and foster dialogue on how to better integrate science and research into national decision-making. Notable leaders present included Prof. Abdul Razak Shaukat, Principal Secretary, State Department for Science, Research and Innovation, and Prof. Isaack Ogumbo Kibwage, Vice-Chancellor of Egerton University, among others.
As Kenya intensifies its push toward a knowledge-driven economy, events like the Kenya National Research Festival are instrumental in aligning national innovation efforts with Vision 2030 and the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA). The State Department for Cabinet Affairs remains committed to facilitating whole-of-government approaches that embed research, innovation, and inclusive stakeholder engagement into the heart of Kenya’s development strategy.