Audio By Vocalize Francis Ngiri, a farmer from Nakuru shows different varieties of sweet potatoes. [Rachel Kibui, Standard] Agricultural research has often followed a top-down approach where technologies are developed by scientists and farmers are expected to adopt the innovations. However, as experts are gradually finding out, research is more effective when farmers are part of the process. As the primary users of agricultural innovations, farmers have deep local knowledge of seeds, soils, climate, pests and diseases, utilisation, and other aspects that have been passed down through generations. Nancy Wangari, a farmer from Nakuru, shows different varieties of velvet beans.…
Author: By Rachel Kibui
Audio By Vocalize Godfrey Wanjohi, whose two children live with Cerebral Palsy, attends to his coffee crop in Mathira, Nyeri County. [Rachel Kibui, Standard] Since its introduction to Kenya in 1893, coffee has still been one of the country’s most significant agricultural exports. The crop is grown in 33 counties, largely by smallholder farmers who account for about 70 per cent. This sector supports about 1.5 million households either directly or indirectly. For decades, however, coffee has largely been viewed as a cash crop, often a commodity measured in kilograms delivered to cooperative societies, deductions applied, and payments issued. The…
A delegate is served with a traditional drink at a farm in Jinja, Uganda. [Rachel Kibui, Standard] Delegates from seven East African countries have endorsed a declaration to advance cross-border trade for agroecological produce. This comes at a time when many people are gradually embracing agroecologically produced food, amid increasing cases of non-communicable diseases such as cancer, which is often linked with synthetic farm inputs. At a conference recently held in Jinja, Uganda, representatives from seven East African Countries, including Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and South Sudan, affirmed that Africa’s resilience and food…
Deputy Representative, United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) Kenya Lynette Luvai. [Courtesy] At a time when the globe is grappling with mounting environmental challenges amid dwindling natural resources, the concept of circularity, or simply put circular economy, is emerging as a transformative solution. To adopt it however, stakeholders need to well understand this concept, the benefits, and challenges in its uptake. Rachel Kibui spoke to Deputy Representative, United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) Kenya Lynette Luvai on understanding circularity. In simplified terms, what is circularity? Circularity is an emerging production and consumption model where waste is used as a resource, products/goods…