Dr. Florence Wambugu is the kind of lady that takes note of a crisis and resolves to find the best possible solution to curb it. Her safari has been one that entails extensive research – the kind that’s only for the strong-willed and truly determined.
Daktari’s first major educational achievement was when she graduated from UoN with a BSc in Botany and Zoology. Her hunger to know more led her to the States where she continued with a postgraduate degree. She graduated from North Dakota State University in 1984 with a MSc in Pathology. During this period, she was working as a senior pathologist and plant researcher at Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI). Florence wasn’t done scaling her knowledge yet. In 1991, she attained a PhD from The University of Bath in England. At around this time, there was a pressing issue in East Africa, one whose timing could not have been any more convenient for the new graduate. The nations that were once considered the ‘food baskets’ of the world were undergoing a decrease in food production as a result of deforestation and poor farming methods. Kenya was at the centre of this crisis. Our highest-yielding areas were not receiving sufficient rainfall, which meant crop produce was low.
For Daktari, the long-term effect of the food crisis on the people of her country was clear, so she put her knowledge to use. How best could she safeguard food production in Kenya?
There were several people she had to consult, gathering information and developing a case study. The process was tedious but after several years of fact-finding, Daktari was ready to turn her work into an organization – one that could work with farmers to ensure a steady increase in food production. In 2002, Florence founded Africa Harvest Biotech Foundation International – a company that aims to improve the quality of yields in Africa through biotechnology. She was able to develop a value chain for Kenyan farmers using five modules: education and information awareness, establishing links between farmers and agronomists while introducing the farmers to new technology, marketing of the farmers’ produce, and linking the farmers with existing markets.
This initiative has assured several farmers of good produce and ready, growing markets over the years. It has benefited them immensely, continuing to restore Kenya’s reputation as a food basket.
In 2008, Dr Florence Wambugu was awarded the Africa Food Prize from the Norway-based Yara Foundation for her significant contribution towards fighting poverty and hunger in Africa. We at Paukwa salute her triumph in defeating a rising challenge through her extensive knowledge and a farmer-first approach. Daktari represents the Kenyan spirit of community and service that is a hallmark of #KeExcellence.
