Tech research team takes agriculture studies to rural Kenya

The drought-ridden, impoverished rural area is home to some friendly faces and lots of prayers for rain.

Recently, it garnered an addition — a group of Texas Tech researchers studying and promoting sustainable agriculture.

“Infant mortality is high, childhood malnutrition is high and they don’t have enough drinking water. Our project aims to mitigate those challenges,” said graduate student Daniel Cunningham, one-fourth of the research team.

Known as dryland agroecology, the team is taking its research to a national competition. They’re one of 30 finalists for the Agricultural Innovation Prize and preparing to make oral presentations to judges April 25-26 at the contest’s headquarters in the University of Wisconsin in Madison.

“It’s highly exciting,” team member Michael Kanyi said.

Kanyi, a teaching assistant working on his doctorate, grew up a few hours south of the study’s region of focus and has big hopes for his home country.