Close

The LASER PULSE site has officially relocated to http://laserpulse.org.  Please refer to the new site for all current and future information.  The prior site remains here for archival and historical purposes only. 

Close

LASER PULSE East Africa Award Undertakes Co-design Approach Toward Partnership

DorcasIn the Exploring Blockchain Technology to Improve Food Security Through African Indigenous Vegetables project in Western Kenya, we have prioritized a co-design process between the research  and research translation partners from the proposal development stage. Egerton University (research), Virginia Tech (research), and AgUnity (research translation) each bring their own, yet complementary, expertise to the project. This has allowed us to draw upon the rich and contextual knowledge of team members when designing and implementing research activities, and planning how to incorporate findings into our primary research translation product - AgUnity’s smartphone application built on blockchain technology. 

We have also worked with on-the-ground stakeholders in our iterative co-design process, such as the community-based organization New Vision, and value chain actors like Dorcas (pictured above), a vegetable trader we spoke with in Kakamega County, Dorcas. We believe the end result of this multifaceted collaboration will be an application that better reflects the needs of value chain actors for indigenous vegetables in Western Kenya.

We wanted to blend the research and translation process from the beginning of our proposal development for three reasons: 

(1) We expected research activities to bring up new questions that would need to be addressed to produce an impactful research translation product. The research team members are able to return to the field to get answers for the research translation team to continue to refine the app.

(2) Collaboration and partnership are essential for impact. Development in general must continue to break down silos between disciplines and professions in order to meet the needs of the individuals we are trying to serve through this research. Collaboration facilitates the rapid problem solving and creativity that impact generation requires. 

(3) Working collaboratively is a lot of fun! It stimulates passions and shared interests, facilitates out of the box thinking, and learning. So far, we have been able to provide training to each other, talk about new and innovative ways to address nutrition, discuss unique avenues to scale the project and ensure sustainability, and share our own passions and interests in travel, food, and family.

Through our project, we are adapting AgUnity’s smartphone application built on blockchain technology for African indigenous vegetables (AIVs) to improve smallholder producer incomes and drive demand for highly nutritious produce among consumers in Western Kenya. We have now completed our initial assessment of the value chain to help determine the need for specific characteristics of the blockchain, identify and connect with actors who will receive a phone and use it in their respective activities over the next six months, and learn more about the barriers to production and demand for AIVs in Kakamega County. We will be publishing a value chain report in the coming weeks as well as a white paper on the potential for blockchain to contribute to food security outcomes. By April 2021, 60 value chain actors will have received a phone and begun to use it in their day-to-day operations. COVID-19 has made research and implementation challenging and posed some barriers to carrying out activities in the field; however, cross collaboration between partners has been critical in overcoming these challenges to continue to work towards achieving project objectives.

For more information, please contact Betty Bugusu at LASER PULSE.

- Jessica Agnew, Ralph Hall, Joseph Mwangi, Nurvitria Kristofikova

  1. east Africa
  2. Food Security
  3. Kenya

Comments on this entry

  1. Emilio John Atlas

    Reading such content that is related to social awareness is always knowledgeable. I read similar post on https://spacecoastdaily.com/2021/11/top-writing-services-where-you-can-hire-essay-writers/ as well. It was informative.

    Reply Report abuse

    Replying to Emilio John Atlas

  2. Emilio John Atlas

     

    While it’s great to have the skills required to set up a WiFi network at home or in the office , to provide reliable WiFi access to >100 event attendees requires a deep understanding of high-density networking and likely requires guidance from industry experts. temporary internet when moving house

    Reply Report abuse

    Replying to Emilio John Atlas

  3. xelobay760 cooper

    dees requires a deep understanding of high-density networking and likely requires guidance from industry experts. temporary internet when moving house

    Reply Report abuse

    Replying to xelobay760 cooper

  4. juliane baierr

    This can be the words My group is selecting in all places. Bless you for one's web log, Freezing enroll your site. It's a attractive web log. inch. picuki

    Reply Report abuse

    Replying to juliane baierr

  5. hassan bhai

    In the world of online shopping, finding a reliable store that sells high-quality psychedelic products and cannabis can be a daunting task. However, Leafedha Store is a safe, secure, and discrete spot where you can purchase psychedelic products like LSD, DMT, MDMA, and mushrooms with cannabis products securely online and without any hassle. We understand the importance of privacy and security, and thus, we provide our customers with a seamless and hassle-free shopping experience. Our primary focus is to maintain our client's privacy and security while ensuring the delivery of top-notch products. MDMA

    Reply Report abuse

    Replying to hassan bhai

  6. giw ex 940

    Buy THC vape carts online in Australia and experience the ease and privacy of shopping from the comfort of your own home. Trust our reputable online dispensary for high-quality cannabis products. Order THC vape carts Australia

    Reply Report abuse

    Replying to giw ex 940

  7. giw ex 940

    It proved to be Very helpful to me and I am sure to all the commentators here! vfxAlert Free Pro License

    Reply Report abuse

    Replying to giw ex 940

  8. ali umair

    Yes i am totally agreed with this article and i just want say that this article is very nice and very informative article.I will make sure to be reading your blog more. You made a good point but I can't help but wonder, what about the other side? !!!!!!THANKS!!!!!! Newsboy Caps

    Reply Report abuse

    Replying to ali umair

  9. giw ex 940

    The platform offers real-time engagement metrics, enabling marketers to monitor and optimize their social media marketing efforts. List ICO

    Reply Report abuse

    Replying to giw ex 940

  10. giw ex 940

    "Make a statement with our black floral wallpaper background. The intricate floral patterns against the dark backdrop add a touch of femininity and elegance to your device." siyah arka plan

    Reply Report abuse

    Replying to giw ex 940

  11. abdul rauf

    Great post, you have pointed out some fantastic points , I likewise think this s a very wonderful website. https://publicistpaper.co.uk/

    Reply Report abuse

    Replying to abdul rauf

  12. Otis Jame

    We  Infinite Craft aimed to foster strong partnerships between research and research translation partners, as well as with local stakeholders, to maximize the project's impact and sustainability.

    Reply Report abuse

    Replying to Otis Jame

  13. elliot zucker

     

    What are the criteria to receive the award? I would like to suggest 

    fish eat fish

    Reply Report abuse

    Replying to elliot zucker

  14. Emoji Kitchen

    Geometry Dash Lite is a rhythm-based platformer game with simple but challenging gameplay elements and a user-friendly interface.

    Reply Report abuse

    Replying to Emoji Kitchen

Post a comment

You must log in to post comments.

Please keep comments relevant to this entry.

Line breaks and paragraphs are automatically converted. URLs (starting with http://) or email addresses will automatically be linked.