Short course training on “Role of Technology, Policy Advocacy and Extension in addressing Food security

The Food Security Centre (FSC), University of Nairobi coordinated by Dr. Catherine Kunyanga organized a short course training on “Role of Technology, Policy Advocacy and Extension in addressing Food security” at the 844 building in the College of Agriculture and Veterinary Sciences, University of Nairobi. The training was sponsored by German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) under the Food Security Center, University of Hohenheim.

The training was a realization that Food and nutrition insecurity is a global challenge especially to the human welfare and economic growth. In attendance were young scientists from different countries including Kenya, South Sudan, Nigeria, Zambia and Uganda. Different Universities including University of Nairobi, Kenyatta University, Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology, Karatina University and Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology were also represented. The county officials and private sector were among the policy representatives who also attended the training.

The Participants were trained on;

1. Technologies developed in agriculture especially in CAVs to address food insecurity and specifically food loss.
2. Role of technology and scientific innovations in enhancing agricultural development.
3. Current research on technologies in addressing food insecurity.
4. The role of technologies in addressing food insecurity and towards zero hunger in Africa.
5. Challenges to scaling up and adoption of the technologies
6. Technology adoption and the multiple dimensions of food Security.
7. Overview of Agricultural and Food Policies in Kenya.
8. Strengthening National Networks for Policy Influence in African Agriculture.
9. Policy formulation process and advocacy; Food security policies
10. Transforming Science into Policy and Practice for Food Security
11. Case study; community programs that advocate for food security
12. Extension and policy advocacy in addressing food and nutrition security
13. Agricultural extension services. Classification of extension services

Benefits & limitations.

1. Case studies: Digital and extension services.

The guest speakers were Dr. Nicholas Ozor, Executive director of African Technology and Policy Studies Network and Prof Gabriel Okafor, Visiting Scholar from Michigan State University, USA and Department of food Science and Technology, University of Nigeria Nsukka. Other invited speakers included Prof. Ratemo Michieka, Prof. John Kimenju, Prof. John Mburu, Dr. Jane Ambuko, Dr. Louise Ngugi, Dr. Samuel Mburu and Dr. Sophie Ngala. The training was delivered in a more participatory way with the inclusion of questions and answers session. It offered an excellent opportunity for knowledge sharing and also networking. The participants gained a lot of insight on the theme of the training and had great interactive sessions with all the speakers. The training was highly rated in the evaluation and the participants were looking forward to future FSC activities.