Chuka University

Chuka University is a public university in Kenya committed to education, research, innovation and community engagement for sustainable development. It brings together expertise in environmental and natural resource sciences, agriculture, climate resilience, biodiversity, sustainable development, ecotourism and community-based research.

Chuka University has a growing track record of EU–Africa collaboration. Its international portfolio includes InnoFoodAfrica, an EU-funded African-European research initiative; UPLIFT.Ag, an Erasmus+ project strengthening innovation and technology transfer in agriculture; and REAP – Rural Green Skills Africa, an EU Erasmus+ project involving partners from Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Italy and Greece. These collaborations demonstrate experience in European-African consortia, co-creation, innovation, knowledge exchange and capacity development.

The University has strong expertise in ecosystem restoration, Nature-Based Solutions, sustainable land and water management, biodiversity conservation, ecosystem services, climate resilience, environmental governance and community-based natural resource management. Its experience includes watershed and wetland rehabilitation, sustainable agricultural landscapes, climate-resilient livelihoods and restoration of degraded natural resources.

Chuka University also has an established academic and research base in ecotourism, sustainable tourism, wildlife enterprise, cultural tourism and heritage management. Its ecotourism programmes connect ecosystem conservation with sustainable tourism and community benefits, creating opportunities to integrate ecosystem restoration, cultural heritage protection, tourism and livelihoods within living labs.

For HORIZON-NATURE, Chuka University offers an African Living Lab and Ecosystem Restoration Co-Creation Partner, connecting European research and innovation with real-world African landscapes, communities and institutions. The University can help co-design, implement, monitor and scale restoration solutions by identifying priorities, engaging communities, testing Nature-Based Solutions, assessing outcomes and documenting conditions for wider adoption.

Potential living-lab environments include agricultural landscapes, watersheds, wetlands, forests, rangelands and coastal ecosystems, including areas where restoration intersects with cultural heritage and tourism. These settings offer opportunities to address biodiversity loss, land degradation, water insecurity, climate risks, declining ecosystem services and pressures on natural and cultural heritage.

Chuka University can contribute to the implementation-bottleneck dimension of the call by examining why restoration solutions succeed or fail in practice, including governance, institutional coordination, technical capacity, community participation, finance, incentives, policy implementation, markets, land-use pressures and maintenance.

A further strength is linking restoration with sustainable livelihoods and financing. Relevant expertise includes ecosystem services, Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES), soil and blue carbon, carbon monitoring and MRV, climate-smart agriculture, sustainable tourism and environmental and social safeguards. These capabilities support restoration approaches that deliver ecological benefits while creating pathways for community participation, local enterprise and sustainable financing.

The University can support monitoring and evidence generation through environmental assessment, GIS and remote sensing, soil and water assessment, biodiversity monitoring and ecosystem-service assessment. Ecotourism and heritage expertise can complement ecological monitoring through assessment of cultural assets, heritage values, tourism opportunities and community benefits.

Chuka University can contribute to EU–Africa knowledge exchange, training, mentorship, capacity building and incubation for researchers, students, practitioners, community organisations and emerging innovators. Its networks can help translate research into practical knowledge and scalable restoration models.

The University maintains robust, accountable financial management systems aligned with national requirements and international accounting standards, supporting EU and international projects.

Chuka University welcomes collaboration with European universities, research organisations, NGOs, public authorities, heritage and conservation organisations, restoration practitioners, tourism organisations and innovation partners seeking a strong African partner for HORIZON-NATURE.

Chuka offers a practical platform for EU–Africa living labs.