On 2 October 2025 in Nairobi, representatives of the Kenya School of Government and the University of Edinburgh, through the Jameel Observatory for Food Security Early Action announced their intention to collaborate to support capacity development for prosperous and resilient drylands.

The letter of agreement was signed by Dr Josephine Mwanzia, Director Academic Affairs, Kenya School of Government, Professor Geoff Simm, Head of the Division of Global Agriculture and Food Systems, Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh and Dr Tahira Mohamed, Jameel Observatory for Food Security Early Action Regional Engagement Lead at the International Livestock Research Institute.

Acting through the Dryland Futures Academy, the partners:

• Recognize that addressing droughts and other environmental shocks in East Africa requires skilled people, effective institutions, and connected local capacities.
• Aim to co-develop curricula and deliver capacity development opportunities for civil servants and other practitioners in arid and semi-arid areas of Kenya.
• Further aim to co-convene and facilitate dialogues, symposia and experience sharing on pastoralism, pastoral development and related development issues relevant to arid and semi-arid lands.
• Recognize the potential to collaborate more broadly on dryland capacity needs by championing the Dryland Futures Academy as a mechanism to engage diverse partners, expertise and resources to enhance learning, training and other opportunities for the drylands.