Machakos, Kenya

In early May 2025, the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) and the ABS Capacity Development Initiative, implemented by GIZ, convened a technical meeting in Nairobi with representatives from key national institutions involved in Access and Benefit-Sharing (ABS).

The aim was to map out current institutional roles, identify gaps in Kenya’s ABS monitoring and reporting system, and develop a preliminary flowchart to visualize existing processes. This preparatory meeting served as the foundation for a broader national consultation to support implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) and Kenya’s updated National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP).

Building on the outcomes of this initial technical session, a multi-stakeholder workshop was held from 15–16 May in Machakos. The workshop brought together experts from National Museums of Kenya (NMK), Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute (KMFRI) and Kenya Fisheries Service (KeFS), Kenya Forest Service (KFS) and Kenya Forestry Research Institute (KEFRI), Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS), the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development (MoALD), the National Commission for Science, Technology and Innovation (NACOSTI), and Kenya Agricultural Research Organization (KARO)

The NBSAP Accelerator Partnership participated in the workshop, represented by its facilitator in Kenya, David Githaiga. The group reviewed and discussed a draft ABS monitoring flowchart and gap analysis, with a focus on enhancing institutional coordination and aligning national efforts with GBF Target 13, which calls for a substantial increase in the fair and equitable sharing of benefits from genetic resources by 2030.

The workshop concluded with a commitment by participating institutions to co-develop a funding concept for submission through the NBSAP Accelerator Partnership’s MatchMaking Mechanism. This collaborative proposal will help mobilize resources to strengthen Kenya’s ABS monitoring system and advance national biodiversity objectives.

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The NBSAP Accelerator Partnership is a country-led initiative to accelerate the implementation of National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs), raise their political profile, and drive collective action for nature. It is supported by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety, and Consumer Protection (BMUV) through its International Climate Initiative (IKI), the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD), through the global project “GBF Implementation,” implemented by GIZ. Its work is facilitated by a Global Coordination Unit (GCU) hosted by UNEP, UNDP and the Secretariat of the CBD.