U of M Extension partnership in Kenya focuses on women farmers

Posted
October 8, 2024

In the past decade, Extension’s work in East Africa has focused on agriculture, especially in Kenya where the majority of small farms are operated by women. A new three-year partnership aims to benefit Kenyan women and youth farmers through participation in the school meals value chain. Extension partners include Kisii and Chuka universities and Fie_Labs, an innovation and entrepreneurship hub.

With $616,720 in funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service, this work will address USDA/FAS’s commitment to increasing the success of school meals programs globally and contributing to the initiative on the 2026 International Year of Woman Farmer.

According to John Vreyens, Extension’s director of Global Initiatives, plans are being put in place to ensure the accomplishments of women farmers can be sustained after the project ends. “The partnership among the three universities will build a network of support on the ground,” says Vreyens. “This includes cooperatives and business training for the women farmers to establish the matrix for the long-term success of the school meal value chain in four counties of the country.”

Read more about the project

Kenyan farmer with Extension educator in a field