Introduction
KijaniSpace is a Horizon Europe-funded research and innovation project, supported by the European Union Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA). The KijaniSpace project promotes Climate-Smart Agriculture and Aquaculture in the Lake Victoria Basin, spanning Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda.
In April 2025, all 13 consortium partners met in person for the first time after six months of collaboration. The General Assembly took place in Kisumu, a green lakeside city in western Kenya. Meeting logistics were coordinated by LakeHub Foundation, a local innovation hub based in Kisumu
Objectives
The General Assembly had three core goals:
- Review progress from the first six months.
- Assess the project’s performance to date.
- Strategically plan the next six months to maximize impact.
The meeting fostered an open dialogue between partners. We encouraged questions, clarified uncertainties and welcomed constructive, honest feedback. Our common goal is to deliver high quality results that matter, not only to the consortium, but also to local stakeholders and the wider agriculture and aquaculture sector in the region.
Agenda Overview: Strategic Planning and Technical Deep Dives
The KijaniSpace General Assembly in Kisumu provided a focused and structured opportunity for the consortium to align on progress and priorities. The rough agenda was following:
- Project Status Update: IT21 presented an overview of achievements against key performance indicators (KPIs), deliverables, and milestones.
- Multi-Actor Engagement: Led by ABPL, LVBC and LakeHub, this session covered ongoing survey work, interviews, stakeholder engagement strategies and planning for upcoming multi-stakeholder and ideation workshops in Tanzania and Kenya.
- Space and IoT Infrastructure: Waziup, P4A and HRSR discussed and introduced the architecture of the KijaniBox platform and plans for data mapping and tool demonstrations.
- Innovation and Talent Program Development: A preparatory session on the upcoming Space-IoT innovation programme was facilitated by Waziup, focusing on structure, content, and methodology.
- Crop and Fish Farming Application Development: Brainstorming on irrigation and fishery applications, including pilot site selection.
- Communication & Dissemination: S&L presented updates on the visibility of the project, the digital outreach and gave an insight into the next activities in the focus.
- Project Management: IT21 reviewed budget status, KPI alignment, and timeline adjustments.
The General Assembly concluded with a wrap-up session summarizing action points and next steps, followed by a formal closing from LakeHub.
This structured agenda allowed partners to critically reflect on project direction, address open questions, and collaboratively plan for the next phase of implementation with clarity and momentum.
