Two of our MSc students from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT), Kenya, Dennis Yegon and Margret James, were able to exhibit their work under the Baoquality project at the Kiambu County Youth Innovation and Entrepreneurship Week held from 23rd to 26th March 2022.
Kiambu County Innovation Week is a forum organized by Kenya’s national innovation agency with the goal of showcasing Kenyans’ innovativeness while also advancing the Big 4 agenda and vision. The event provided Kiambu county youths the chance to showcase their innovations and entrepreneurship ideas, as well as share challenges they are encountering, all while championing their innovative ideas and even beginning new business ventures.
The Baoquality team at JKUAT in Kenya (Prof. Willis Owino, Margaret James, and Dennis Yegon) was featured in the Agribusiness sector, where we support appropriate production standards and regulations inside firms while also fostering practical skills in applying safety standards. The HACCP development along the baobab pulp value chain was used as an example for the illustrations, with all stages of production explained, possible hazards identified, and control mechanisms supplied.
The team also displayed baobab products such as baobab fruits, powder, oils, and sweets (Mabuyus), among others, while also educating the public about the nutritional and strong health benefits associated with these products. The Baoquality team also shed light on the calibration of near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy for non-invasive, fast, and onsite/online verification of the quality and authenticity of baobab raw materials and finished products.
Photo credit: Willis Owino