Current agricultural and food systems struggle to balance productivity with inclusivity and ecological sustainability, creating a need for innovative approaches that integrate diverse knowledge, practices, and partnerships. IKEA Foundation and SNV Kenya are partnering to strengthen the nexus of food and energy systems in Africa (Kenya, Rwanda, Ethiopia and Uganda) under the €45 million Power for Food Partnership (PFP).

€45M Partnership Investment
4 African Countries
7 Counties in Kenya

Transforming Food Systems

The partnership addresses the urgent challenge of transforming food systems to be more sustainable, equitable, and energy resilient while scaling regenerative agriculture (RA) and productive use of renewable energy (PURE) practices in the face of climate change, environmental degradation, and socio-economic inequalities.

PFP will shift to a portfolio programming approach that supports systems change at both regional and global levels through three interconnected pathways:

Three Interconnected Pathways

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Learn

  • Practice-based learning and evidence generation
  • Harvesting cross-border knowledge exchange
  • Embedding systems transformation mindsets
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Link

  • Action-oriented collaboration among system actors
  • Nurturing RA-PURE nexus champions
  • Convening regional and global partners towards joint RA-PURE agendas
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Leverage

  • Embedding approaches in policies and practice
  • Influencing and leveraging new and existing investment opportunities
  • Strengthening organisational capacities of local actors applying RA-PURE nexus approaches

What is RA-PURE Integration?

Regenerative Agriculture (RA)

Agricultural practices that restore and enhance ecosystem health, improve soil quality, conserve water, and increase biodiversity while maintaining productive farming systems.

Productive Use of Renewable Energy (PURE)

Clean energy technologies—including solar irrigation, processing equipment, and cold storage—that enhance agricultural productivity and reduce environmental impact.

CoELIB's Role in the Partnership

Egerton University's CoELIB brings technical expertise in scaling research, knowledge, innovation and adoption of RA-PURE interventions (learn pathway) in Nakuru, Kericho, Nandi, Kakamega, Bungoma, Busia, and Uasin Gishu counties in Kenya.

Regional Impact

The Power for Food Partnership operates across four East African countries, each with unique agricultural contexts and opportunities:

Target Countries

  • Kenya – Seven counties in Western and Rift Valley regions focusing on climate-smart agriculture and renewable energy adoption
  • Rwanda – Scaling sustainable farming practices and clean energy solutions for smallholder farmers
  • Ethiopia – Strengthening food security through regenerative agriculture and renewable energy integration
  • Uganda – Building resilient agricultural systems powered by clean energy technologies

Systems Change Approach

Unlike traditional agricultural development programs, Power for Food Partnership takes a comprehensive systems change approach. This means addressing not just farming practices, but the entire ecosystem of actors, policies, markets, and knowledge systems that influence food production and distribution.

The partnership recognizes that sustainable transformation requires:

  • Multi-stakeholder collaboration across farmers, researchers, policymakers, and private sector
  • Integration of traditional knowledge with modern agricultural science
  • Policy frameworks that support both regenerative agriculture and renewable energy adoption
  • Financial mechanisms that make clean energy accessible to smallholder farmers
  • Capacity building at all levels—from individual farmers to national institutions
Help connect regenerative agriculture and renewable energy and help build a future where people have equitable opportunities to thrive in renewable, regenerative, and resilient environments.

Expected Outcomes

Through the Learn, Link, and Leverage pathways, the Power for Food Partnership aims to create lasting systemic change that:

Key Expected Outcomes

  • Increased adoption of regenerative agriculture practices across target regions
  • Enhanced access to productive renewable energy technologies for farmers
  • Improved food security and nutrition for farming communities
  • Strengthened climate resilience in agricultural systems
  • Creation of green jobs and sustainable livelihoods
  • Reduced greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture
  • Developed policy frameworks supporting RA-PURE integration
  • Established networks of champions driving systems transformation