Adaptation Research Alliance (ARA)

ARA Workshop to Connect Adaptation Research with Policy and Practice

A collaborative workshop that connects locally led adaptation research with policy and practice through peer learning, equitable evidence, and actionable insights for decision-makers, funders, and practitioners.
Albert Salamanca
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  • 122 Page views
  • August 20, 2026
  • 2 min read
  • Event: 28/09/2026 - 09:00 (UTC +03:00) - 29/09/2026 - 17:00 (UTC +03:00)
Africa's emerging adaptation professionals (Photo: ACTS)

With support from SEI Africa, the Gates Foundation, UK FCDO, grantees and partners of ARA’s Knowledge Catalyst Grant will meet in Nairobi, Kenya, from 28 to 29 September 2026 to reflect on the grant’s outcomes and develop recommendations for future phases. Over two days, participants will review the adaptation research and knowledge landscape, share experiences of the KCG, and examine how knowledge moves—or fails to move—into policy and practice. The workshop is intended as a participatory learning conversation, not an evaluation or audit.

Objectives

  1. To convene a knowledge-to-policy workshop that highlights innovative, locally led adaptation solutions supported by the Knowledge Catalyst Grant and examines how these innovations can inform policy, investment, and implementation, with a particular focus on how climate and weather information services support evidence-based adaptation planning, decision-making, and resilience at local scales.
  2. To facilitate structured reflection and peer learning among Emerging Adaptation Professionals to document lessons from the grant, identify approaches that strengthened participants’ publication, leadership, and policy engagement capacities, and generate recommendations for improving future Knowledge Catalyst or similar grant recipients.

Africa’s Emerging Adaptation Professionals during a mentoring workshop. (Photo: ACTS)

Agenda

Day 1, What have we learned from the KCG experience

TimeSession
09:00–09:15Welcome and orientation
09:15–10:00Expectation check
10:00–10:30The KCG journey
10:30–10:45Break
10:45–11:45Adaptation research landscape
11:45–12:45Lunch
12:45–14:15Stories and experiences of KCG
14:15–16:00Invited keynotes to reflect on the outcomes of the KCG
16:00–16:30Day 1 reflection
18:00–22:00Welcome Dinner

Day 2, How does knowledge travel, and what should change?

TimeSession
09:00–09:15Welcome back
09:15–10:30Knowledge-to-policy pathways
10:30–10:45Break
10:45–11:45What gets in the way?
11:45–12:45Lunch
12:45–13:30Priorities for improvement
13:30–14:15Workshop synthesis
14:15–14:30Break
14:30–15:00Expectation review and closing

Expected outputs

The workshop will produce:

  • an expectations map and agreed success criteria;
  • a validated KCG journey and adaptation research landscape;
  • a concise set of conditions that enabled effective participation and results;
  • a simple knowledge-to-policy pathway map;
  • an agreed set of barriers or practices requiring attention; and
  • five to seven priority recommendations.

Please contact the Secretariat for more information.

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