The European Union (EU), through the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA), has awarded a team of five researchers from the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) with funding of research project for a total amount of 31 million Kenyan shillings.

The project, titled “Improving the silverfish (Rastrineobola argentea) value chain through multi-stakeholder partnerships and new climate-smart post-harvest processing technologies and practices for improving rural livelihoods,” is one of 11 projects competitively selected from 150 proposals submitted by researchers in Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda.

It will be implemented by a multidisciplinary team including Prof. Nelson Ojijo (Department of Food Science and Technology), Prof. Christopher Kanali, Dr. Eric Ronoh, Eng. Gareth Kituu and Eng. Samuel Njuguna (all from the Department of Agricultural Engineering and Biosystems).

The JKUAT pentad, in collaboration with the other members of the consortium – Kenya Marine & Fisheries Research Institute (KEMFRI), JKUAT Enterprises Ltd (JKUATES) and Kisumu and Busia Beach Management Units – seeks to increase the economic value of the locally known silver cyprinid fish like Omena, through a two-pronged approach – preventing post-harvest losses and promoting its consumption.

Read the full article at www.faraafrica.org.