African Indigenous Vegetables Research & Related Activities At Maseno University By Mary O. Abukutsa - Onyango (Ph.D) Maseno University IndigenoVeg Opening meeting Bamako-17 th January 2006
OUTLINE Introduction Objectives Maseno University (MSU) Participating Researchers From MSU TATRO Research On AIVs At Maseno University Other Related Activities On AIVs Conclusions and Recommendations Acknowledgement
Introduction High Poverty Levels >60% in Rural Communities in Kenya Malnutrition and Poor Health High Household Food and Nutrition Insecurity Prevalence of HIV and AIDS Kenya Endowed With Agricultural Biodiversity African Indigenous Vegetables (AIVs) AIVs Have Several Advantages
Examples of AIVs in Kenya slenderleaf Vegetable amaranths Jute mallow Vegetable nightshade Pumpkin
Constraints Neglected Threatened By Extinction Poor Seed Quality No Technical Packages Short Shelf Life Poor Marketing Channels Potential Of AIVs Not Fully Exploited
OBJECTIVES To Give Highlights On Maseno University. To Introduce The Participating Researchers From Maseno University and TATRO To Highlight Some Researches & Related Activities On AIVs At Maseno University
MASENO UNIVERSITY: THE VARSITY ON THE EQUATOR
MASENO UNIVERSITY Inception-2001 - Student Pop-5,000 Academic Staff-261 3Faculties+4Schools Vision To be a Leading Institution And Centre Of Excellence In University Teaching, Outreach, Research & Development
MASENO UNIVERSITY - Faculty Of Science Houses Participating Department- Botany and Horticulture Formerly Botany and Plant Sciences (BPS) Botany and Horticulture
Participating Researchers(1) Mary O.Abukutsa-Onyango (Ph.D) Audience Chairman Visual Aids Associate Professor Of Agronomy And Horticulture (Olericulture) 15 Yrs University Teaching Leader Of AIVs Working Group Involved In AIVs Since 1992 Marketing,Agronomy, Seed Production And Physiology Of AIVs
Participating Researchers(2) John Onyango (Ph.D) Professor Of Plant Physiology Over 20 Yrs University Teaching Initiator &Director Maseno University Botanic Garden Dean Faculty Of Science A Member Of AIVs Working Group Involved In AIVs Since 1996 Conservation Of Biodiversity
Participating Researchers(3) Gideon Njau Mwai Tutorial Fellow Ph.D Student In Plant Physiology And Biochemistry Member Of AIVs Working Group Bsc And Msc Projects On Spideplant PhD Project Vegetable Nightshades (AVRDC) Involved In AIVs Since 1997
Participating Researchers(4) Anne Aswani Musotsi Left The University In 2005 Was A Member Of AIVs Working Group MSc (Community Nutrition) Involved In AIVs Since 2002 Recipes and Home Gardening Of AIVs To Be Replaced By Darius Andika Otiato
Participating Researchers(5) Darius Andika Otiato (Msc) Graduated Msc (Horticulture) 2005 BSc Project -nightshades A member of AIVs working group Graduate Assistant Involved in AIVs since 2002 Potential Ph.D Student
TATRO (A CBO) Technology Adoption Through Research Organization - Inception-1993 AIVs activity-1997 Membership-20W, 5M Contact-Paul Okong o Objective To Alleviate Poverty Through Improved Farming Methods
Leaf & Seed Production - Of 5 AIVs TATRO Collaboration with Research Institutions And Universities
5 Of the 6 Priority AIVs At TATRO African kale Cowpeas cowpeas Jute mallow Spiderplant Leaf amaranths African nightshade
Research On AIVs At Maseno (Inception AIVs Working Group 1996-Promote AIVs) - Improved community landuse or sustainable production and tilization of AIVs in the Lake Victoria Region (SIDA-IUCEA, Ke,Ug &Tz) Intercropping African kale with Other selected AIVs for Sustainable Production in the Lake Victoria Region, Kenya (IFS-Maseno)
Research On AIVs At Maseno Germplasm - management of African Leafy vegetables for the nutritional and food security needs of vulnerable groups in Kenya (IPGRI)
Seed Support Systems Kisumu 14 Siaya 11 Bondo 03 Vihiga 24 B-Mumias 05 Kisii 11 Nyamira 05 Busia 04 Total 77 12% produce own seed
Research On AIVs At Maseno Market - Survey On African Indigenous Vegetables In Western Kenya Response Of Some African Traditional Vegetables To Organic And Inorganic Fertilizers Effect Of N Rates On Growth, Seed Yield And Storage Of Slenderleaf (Crotalaria brevidens)
OTHER RELATED ACTIVITIES BSc. Horticulture Programme AIVs topic in Olericulture1 unit Undergraduate final year research projects YEAR NO OF STUDENTS Total Olericulture projects AIV projects 2001 10 50% 20% 2002 29 59% 34% 2003 14 79% 28% 2004 14 79% 71% 2005 25 80% 70%
Other Related Activities Students Projects
OTHER RELATED ACTIVITIES MSc Horticulture Programme MSc. Unit (subject) on AIVs (Olericulture Option) MSc Horticulture: Intercropping AIVs (ongoing) MSc Community Development and Nutrition Progamme MSc Thesis home gardening (completed) MSc Agricultural Biodiversity/Dietary (ongoing) MSc Geography Programme MSc Traditional African foods role in poverty reduction (complete). MSc Botany Programme MSc. Thesis on Salinity effects on Spiderplant (complete) MSc Research on A.nightshades with tea on intercropping(completed) PhD Botany Programme-Project on African Nightshades
University Botanic Garden Established in 2001 Home of 200 plant spp 10% ALVs Ex-situ and in-situ Conservation of ALVs Funded by Federal Government-Germany Germany BIOTA PROJECT Research-Teaching Teaching-Conservation -Leisure
Other Related Activities 2003 Proceedings Available Workshops And Conferences On AIVs
. Other Related Activities Outreach And Promotion Of AIVs In Western Kenya
Conclusions Maseno University Envisages To Be A Centre Of Excellence In Promoting Research And Conservation Of Biodiversity. Research, Teaching and Outreach Programmes On AIVs Forms Part Of Priority Areas For Maseno University AIVs Have A Potential In Kenya That Needs To Be Exploited For Food And Nutrition Security
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Maseno University Funding Agencies Our Collaborators Farmers in Western Kenya IndigenoVeg Team Audience For Health And Strength Consume AIVs
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