Yesterday, 25 September, the Observatory joined the Drylands Learning and Capacity Building Initiative (DLCI), in partnership with Landesa, ILRI, and Swiss Development Cooperation,to bring together leaders from government, the private sector, communities, and development partners for a ‘National Private Sector Dialogue on Responsible Investment in Kenya’s Drylands.’
Reporting by DLCI on LinkedIn:
The first session, Creating an Enabling Environment for Investment, brought powerful voices to the table, painting a picture of what is needed for the private sector to confidently invest in drylands: clear policies, secure land, and inclusive frameworks. In the Community-Specific Investment Opportunities session, communities pitched opportunities, highlighting both the potential and the pressing challenges : from untapped markets and innovation gaps to the importance of fair value sharing and readiness for investment.
In the afternoon, Landesa presented a Framework for Responsible Investment in Drylands, stressing that investor confidence and community rights must go hand in hand. This was followed by a vibrant Roundtable Dialogue where investors, policymakers, and communities engaged directly on partnerships, co-financing, and building the infrastructure and markets that drylands urgently need.
The day closed with a sense of shared responsibility. Participants agreed to take the conversation forward through county-level dialogues, continuous platforms for investor–community engagement, and stronger policy frameworks.
The story of the day was clear: when communities, policymakers, and the private sector come together, responsible investment in drylands is not just an idea , it becomes a pathway to resilience, dignity, and prosperity.