Research News
Stakeholders at the Kick-off Workshop of the German Food Partnership-Potato Initiative Africa
Prof Nderitu the DVC, Research and Development (Standing 2nd row left) joins other stakeholders during the workshop to develop scalable approach to establish competitive potato value chains, especially benefiting smallholder farmers and their families.
Lack of smallholder-tailored postharvest management, including storage, and good agricultural practices the quality and efficiency of the value chains there are major challenges facing potato industry.
The situation is worsened by the following factors:
- Inadequate training and technology transfer to smallholder farmers;
- Low levels of productivity of smallholders hindering competitiveness with imports and thus limiting benefits from growing demands for value added products in their region;
- Weak business relations between local producers and processors;
- Limited availability healthy seed and suitable varieties as being the basis for a high quality end product;
- Lack of viable financial solutions along the value chain
Partners for Care NGO members pay a courtesy call on the Vice-Chancellor
Partners for Care NGO members pay a courtesy call on the Vice-Chancellor, during a partnership meeting to discuss partnership strategies. From left is Dr. Jesse Gitaka (MKU), Mr. Gitau Thambaja (MKU), Kendra Leith (D-Lab, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA) Dr. Peter Kirira (MKU) Connie Claren (Partners for care) Prof. Stanley Waudo (MKU), Dr. Linus Ndegwa (MKU) Holly Sunderman (Greif) and Samwel Wanjau (PFC)
Safety and Bio-Security training for laboratory staff
Participants of the Biosafety and Biosecurity training pose for a group photo. With them is Prof. Nderitu, DVC R&D (Centre standing) and R&D staff.
The laboratory staff of Mount Kenya University completed a two-phase course on Biosafety and Biosecurity training organized by the Research Division. The initial training was carried out last year. The trainers for this course were drawn from CDC, KEMRI and from the National Public Health Laboratories, Ministry of Health. Mount Kenya is amongst the few Universities in Kenya that have a Biorisk Management programmes in place making the University a safe working place.
MKU Researchers visit Del Monte Research Laboratory
Members of the Research team from MKU and Del Monte Kenya Ltd. pose for a photo after visiting Mr. Davis Thuo, Research & Development manager, (Del Monte Kenya Ltd.) to discuss ways through which the two institutions can partner and collaborate in research on February 6, 2014. From the right: Ms. Carolyn Achieng’a, Senior Departmental Head, Special Projects & Plantation Quality Control (Del Monte Kenya Ltd.), Mr. Samuel Chomba (Senior Departmental Head Agronomy (Del Monte Kenya Ltd.), Dr. Nancy Cheseto, Deputy Director, Enterprise & Innovation (MKU), Dr. Peter Kirira, Deputy Director, Research & Development (MKU), Mr. Charles Muriuki, Departmental Head, Research & Development Laboratory, (Del Monte Kenya Ltd.), Dr. Samuel Karenga, HoD Pure & Applied Sciences Research Program (MKU). Download Report