Description
As of April 2018: With funds from the U.S. Agency for International Development, the Horticulture Innovation Lab has supported more than $6.5 million in horticultural research projects that affect smallholder farmers in East African countries. The Horticulture Innovation Lab has examined aspects of seed systems, vegetable grafting, participatory extension models, low-cost cooling, solar drying, and postharvest training centers. Projects during the current phase include:
- Improving nutrition with African indigenous vegetables in Kenya (and Zambia)
James Simon of Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, leads this nutrition project focused on enhancing value chains for African indigenous vegetables, using a market-first, science-driven approach. - Reducing postharvest losses in Rwanda
Gurbinder Gill of Agribusiness Associates leads this postharvest project focused on assessing postharvest losses in four value chains, setting up postharvest training and service centers, and building entrepreneurial capacity. - Building postharvest capacity in Tanzania
Eleni Pliakoni of Kansas State University leads a project on curricula, training, and facilities for postharvest management - Developing farmer-led irrigation solutions in Uganda
Kate Scow of the University of California, Davis, leads a project on irrigation and community co-innovation processes. - Assessing feasibility of pest-exclusion nets in Kenya
Vance Baird of Michigan State University leads this study of commercial feasibility of scaling up AgroNets.
This fact sheet also features some of the program's partner organizations in East Africa.