Katri Leinonen is analyzing Ugandan smallholders’ market access

Katri Leinonen, 29, is a Master of Science student (Agricultural Policy) from the University of Helsinki working at MTT Agrifood Research Finland. She’s doing her thesis in FoodAfrica work package 6 by analyzing what kind of reasons are behind the Ugandan smallholders’ access to markets. What is your research about? – I am researching which factors are the most relevant when it comes to Ugandan smallholders access to markets based …

Population growth and climate change can shape extensive livestock husbandry in Sub-Saharan Africa

While work package 3 of the FoodAfrica programme focuses on climate change, it is evident that there are other simultaneous long-term trends, such as population growth and potential rise of living standards, which can shape substantially future food security in Africa and which may need to be given attention in the analysis. Population growth has major consequences to food security in Sub-Saharan Africa. The global population increased during the years …

Two billion people suffer from hidden hunger

The number of people under malnutrition is estimated to be about 800 million. This number does not give the whole picture as the number of people under “hidden hunger” is estimated to be two billion. Eighteen out of the twenty countries suffering from this problem are in Sub-Saharan Africa. The term hidden hunger means people suffering from chronic lack of micronutrients and it has usually no visible warning signs. Most …

Beatrice Tuei is developing a solution for farmers’ fodder issues

Beatrice Tuei, 43, from Kenya, is one of the PhD students involved in the FoodAfrica Programme. She’s doing her thesis in FoodAfrica WP7 about solving the problem of seasonal availability of fodder experienced by smallholder dairy farmers. How did you get interested in agricultural research? –In secondary school, I was good in sciences and home-economics but opted for agriculture which I considered more challenging than the former. I was inclined …

Kenyan meteorological experts trained in Finland

Four experts from Kenya Meteorological Department (KMD) visited Finland from 7 to 17 September 2014. They participated in a training program which was aimed at creating capability to introduce and operate a grid-based weather data collection system in Kenya. This knowledge and facility is not in place in Kenya for the time being but is essentially needed for the development of a model for prediction of aflatoxin risk in maize. …