Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew is our main partner in the UK and provides us the project with scientific advisory support.

Science has always been at the heart of Kew’s purpose and it will continue to be so. Kew’s collections, staff and partnerships enable the organisation to make an invaluable and relevant contribution to some of the biggest issues facing the global population.

Kew’s new Science Strategy (2015-2020) sets out three strategic priorities of how Kew intends to do this over the next five years. Of these, strategic priority 1 (“To document and conduct research into global plant and fungal diversity and its uses for humanity”) will address four key questions, of which one is: “Which plants and fungi contribute to important ecosystem service, sustainable livelihoods and natural capital an how do we manage them?”.

Answering this question is a key role of Kew’s new Natural Capital and Plant Health department, and research into the diversity of crops (especially those that are poorly understood or under-utilised) and conservation of their wild relatives, forms an important part of the department’s research agenda, with four research leaders developing research programmes in Diversity and Livelihoods and Crops Plants. The potential of Cordeauxia edulis as a drought tolerant crop therefore aligns well with Kew’s new science strategy.

Indeed Kew has a history of involvement in researching crop potential; from controversial crop transplantation activities during the days of the British Empire to current sustainable use research programmes, such the local community involvement to conserve Huarango forests (Prosopis limensis) in Peru and the promotion of edible wild yam cultivation by local people in Madagascar. Studies on Cordeauxia also align with other strategic priorities at Kew, such as research for integrated monographs in which the wider Caesalipinia-group of legumes (of which Cordeauxia is a member) is a current focus. [Some of Kew’s herbarium specimens of Cordeauxia can be viewed by searching https://plants.jstor.org/]

Our Local supporters are:

Candlelight is an Environmental, Education and Health is a Mon –Governmental Organisation that has been engaged in the reconstructions and development work in Somaliland for almost 2 decades.

Social Relief Organisation (SRO) is Non-profit making, Non-political  Organization which provides durable solutions to the destitute communities in Somaliland’s Buhodle area who are facing problems in the WASH, Health, Shelter, Food security and livelihood diversification.