How wonderful to see all the familiar faces of our Kenyan partners from the Living Lab at Egerton University in Nakuru, Kenya, in the photos, and many new ones who are also there. We are following the current situation from afar and are impressed by the enthusiasm with which our partners have embraced aquaponics and insect larvae production (BSF).
Background
According to the EU funded project INCiTiS-FOOD we spent three intensive weeks at Egerton University in september 2023, conducting a workshop on trainer training. One of the participants was Sila Ooko Owiti. Today he is Lead Innovator at Rongai Teachers Training College.
What followed the workshop is a good example of what we call remote capacity building. The exchange of knowledge didn't end with the workshops. Rather, it continues through regular communication via messenger, photos, and drawings. And so we remain closely connected to what's happening.
INCiTiS-FOOD includes a so-called cascading fund that supports local farmers in building their own facilities. Applicants could apply for funding to put their knowledge of aquaponics into practice.
Team Rongai Teachers Training College celebrates topping-out ceremony
Silas' team succeeded in seizing this opportunity, and soon after, construction began on two large aquaponics systems, each with greenhouses covering an area of approximately 400 square meters, using A-frame (NFT) systems for the Rongai Teachers Training College and the farmers of the Jua Farm Umoja Youth Group. In the future, the aquaponics system will be supplemented with the breeding of black soldier flies to further close the nutrient cycle.
And today the topping-out ceremony for the new facility at Rongai Teachers Training College took place.
Congratulations to the entire team and of course to Sila!
Following the process remotely—through messages, photos, sketches, and conversations—shows us the dynamic that has emerged from the project when local ownership, technical expertise, and trust come together. The following images document the construction work and the topping-out ceremony. Also pictured are leading farmers from the youth group "Jua Farm Umoja" and the Nakuru County Agricultural Officer, who attended the event. Staff from the Rongai Teachers Training College, the Daily Nation newspaper, and the MBCI television station were also present. All photos are by Sila Ooko Owiti.
This project has received funding under a grant agreement from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation program. Grant agreement no. GA 101083790.
