How to get involved with TRACE

TRACE is at the moment where a working prototype meets an urgent real-world problem. The research team is actively seeking partners for the next phase. The roles below are distinct — you do not need to do everything, and even a single partnership is meaningful.

• Research funders (NRF, bilateral programmes). Fund the Phase 1 field pilot. The ask is Ksh 8–15M over 12 months to deploy TRACE with 3–6 cooperatives and produce publishable field evidence. The research team provides full project management, reporting, and academic publication.
• KEPHIS / KEBS / Export Promotion Council. Enter a memorandum of understanding to explore alignment between TRACE DPP outputs and existing national certification systems. This does not require financial commitment at this stage — only a willingness to participate in the regulatory design of Phase 2.
• County governments (Kirinyaga, Murang'a, Nyeri, Meru). Facilitate access to registered cooperative societies in your county for the pilot phase. Provide introductions and, where possible, in-kind support such as county agricultural extension officer participation.
• Technology partners (Safaricom, IoT providers, logistics platforms). Contribute IoT sensor infrastructure, connectivity, or logistics data integration for the pilot. In return, your organisation is credited as a founding partner and has early access to the open-source platform.
• Development organisations (GIZ, USAID, EU delegation). Co-design a development research programme that combines TRACE's technical infrastructure with your existing agricultural development programmes in Kenya's export counties.