A team of researchers from Kibabii University have joined a partnership with a Kenyan based Norwegian organization known as KENOR Investment Limited to write joint proposals geared towards food production and value addition in Western Kenya.
Led by the Country Director for Kenya Mr. Richard Lusweti and his Norwegian counterparts Lewi Peter Hansen and Bjoerkevoll Ingebgrit, the team from KENOR visited the University on Tuesday 7th June, 2022 for a familiarization tour as well as ratification of a Memorandum of Understanding signed in March 2022.
Currently, both teams are working on a joint proposal titled “Economic Empowerment of Communities in Western Kenya through Promotion of Mushroom Production”.
Realizing that mushroom production can positively impact rural livelihoods through food security, income generation, employment creation and improved human wellness through enhancing the body’s immune system, the researchers are focused on using a multi-stakeholder approach to upscale mushroom production at household, community, and country levels.
The organisation of farmers into groups, societies and cooperatives particularly led by women and youths and linkage to prospective markets through digital platforms and technologies is envisaged in the project whose overall goal is to economically empower Women and Youth along the mushroom production value chain in four counties of Trans Nzoia, Bungoma, Busia and Kakamega in Western Kenya.
The team from Kibabii University is composed of Drs. Jonathan Mutonyi, Patrick Owoche, Joshua Abuya, Edward Wasike, Ms. Lorna Wasike and Mr. Caleb Khisa.
