FEATURED RESEARCHER – July 2023

Dr. Alice Kosgei is a Plant Breeder and Agronomist in the Department of Agricultural Sciences. She has a PhD. in Plant Breeding (University of Ghana, Ghana), an MSc. in Agronomy (Egerton University, Kenya), and BSc. in Agricultural Education and Extension (Egerton University, Kenya). She has contributed in development of academic programs in the department.

Her research interests are breeding crops for biotic and abiotic stresses and agronomic adaptations of various crops to these stresses. She also has special interest in climate adaptation strategies among the farmers for food security. She has publications in these fields and a book chapter.

She has attracted several grants for travel, trainings and research from various organizations and institutions such as Generation Challenge Programme (GCP) in collaboration with Egerton University; West Africa Centre for Crop improvement, University of Ghana; Kenya Climate Smart Agriculture Project (KCSAP) in collaboration with Kenya Agricultural Livestock and Research Institute (KALRO) and Machakos University. She recently received a grant from  Future Rural Africa: Female researcher’s Grant 2022 funded by German Research Council to implement a research on climate adaptation strategies by the youth for food security.

Her current research projects include:

1. Assessment of strategies used to cope with drought impacts in Machakos county
2. Greening the leather industry through the use of cultivated plants to manufacture eco-friendly leather dyes.
3. Assessment of role of youth farmers in adoption of climate-smart agriculture strategies for food security.
4. Creating synergy in the Irish potato value chain for quality seed, high-quality potatoes, and market development in Kenya.