Over 200 million people in sub-Saharan Africa depend on the bean crop as a primary staple food. Millions of smallholder farmers in this region also rely on the production and sale of beans as the source of household income.
Bio-Innovate was established to primarily catalyze the translation of biological ideas into products and services that can be taken to the market for economic use and address social challenges and consequently improves livelihoods of the people in the eastern Africa region.
It gives me great pleasure to share with you the Bio-Innovate Program annual newsletter. In this issue we are sharing the exciting progress made by the Program in 2013 as well as future prospects of the Program beyond the current implementation phase.
After two years of crippling difficulties in implementing their project activities, Bio-Innovate’s project on biogas and mushroom production from coffee and sisal waste is optimistic of finally completing…
A team of scientists from Makerere University School of Agricultural Sciences working with Abeteraine Farmers Group in Hoima District,
Joseph Oduor a farmer from South Alego location in Siaya County is a constantly disappointed man. Poor yields from farming maize over the years have demotivated him. His biggest challenge as with many other farmers in the region is pests and diseases that reduce yields during harvest.
Deep in the heart of the southwestern region of Ethiopia is Jimma city. Accessing Jimma by road is a 410-kilometre trip with picturesque scenery passing through the breathtaking rift valley, the endless acres of teff, maize and the undulating countryside.
After 60 years, Kenya now has four bean varieties that meet the industry criteria for canning quality. These are the first new varieties since the Mexican 142 bean variety was introduced in the late 1960 from Tanzania.
The Bio-resources Innovations Network for Eastern Africa Development (Bio-Innovate) Program was established in 2010 to support multi-disciplinary biosciences and product oriented innovation activities in the eastern Africa countries of Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda.
