A trained horticulturist with over 10 years experience in research and development as a Research Officer with the Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI). Worked with various teams and projects providing inputs in agronomy, socio-economics and marketing. Such teams include the Netherlands funded Regional Research Support Programme, the Rockefeller Soil and Water Management Programme and World Bank funded crosscutting programmes. Worked as the coordinator of the KARI Agricultural Technology and Information Response Initiative (ATIRI) in the Coastal region of Kenya from 2003 - 2007. ATIRI aims to catalyse technology demand, access and adoption by facilitating farmers to access technologies of their choice through competitive learning grants. The initiative offers an opportunity for farmers to identify their own problems and based on this, demand specific technologies to address their constraints. ATIRI has supported over 56 farmer groups with a total of 1,232 farmers, (60% of whom are female), achieving various levels of success in income generation, employment creation and improved food self-sufficiency. I have also been involved in group mobilisation and formation of farmer networks to improve marketing of agricultural produce. Has interacted with various working groups and personnel that include Government ministries staff, Non-Governmental Organisations, International Organisations and Private partners. This interaction has also made me enjoy and learn the cross-sectional expertise in various research and development concerns particularly socio-economic based. My future focus is to concentrate on farmer empowerment and community based welfare and economic issues. [more...]