For potato farmers in Nyandarua, research is becoming more than a source of information. It is opening access to practical tools and knowledge to improve farming practices. This community-focused work by JKUAT Master of Science in Horticulture student Anne Muthui has now reached an international audience, after she presented the findings at the 25th International Students Summit on Food, Agriculture and Environment (ISS) at Tokyo University of Agriculture (Tokyo NODAI), Japan, held from June 30 to July 3, 2026.
Anne, a Master of Science in Horticulture student in the Department of Horticulture and Food Security, attended the summit, after her abstract was selected to represent JKUAT through the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (COANRE) student exchange programme. Her selection followed a competitive process in which students submitted abstracts to Tokyo NODAI, and were selected based on their alignment with the summit’s theme, with only one student chosen from each partner university.
Her research, funded through the Africa-ai-JAPAN project at JKUAT, and guided by her supervisors Dr. Rintaro Kinoshita and Dr. Cornelius Wainaina, examined how potato farmers in Nyandarua produce and manage their crops besides assessing their current yields. But beyond generating data, the initiative by Anne’s research, sought to translate research into practical benefits for farmers through facilitating free soil testing, access to certified seeds, fertilizers and crop protection chemicals, as well as demonstrations and dissemination of research findings.
These interventions created opportunities for the farmers to interact, exchange knowledge and address production challenges together, while equipping them with practical information to improve their farming practices. In this way, Anne demonstrated how agricultural research can move beyond the academic setting to deliver tangible benefits at community level.
It was this focus on translating research into meaningful community impact that aligned strongly with the theme of this year’s ISS, “Pushing Boundaries: Inclusive Activities for Community Welfare.”
For Anne, the opportunity provided a platform to share experiences from Kenyan farms with an international audience while gaining new perspectives from students working on food, agriculture and environmental challenges in different parts of the world.
“It was such a pleasure travelling abroad to present my findings. It provoked me more to continue with my studies,” she said. “The experience also strengthened my conviction that research should go beyond generating findings to addressing real challenges facing communities.”
Anne identified the translation of research into practical solutions as an important challenge for Kenya, noting that “pushing boundaries” means putting research findings into practice to improve community welfare.
She also hopes her participation will encourage more JKUAT students to explore international academic opportunities. By sharing her experience and publishing her findings, she believes more students will become aware of the exchange programmes available to them and consider pursuing similar opportunities.
“I believe after publishing this, it will create awareness of the ongoing exchange programmes, which can make them explore more,” she said. “I would encourage fellow Kenyan students, particularly postgraduate students, to remain alert to opportunities that can broaden their academic and professional exposure.”
The summit brought together students from Tokyo NODAI’s global partner universities with the aim to exchange ideas on food, agriculture and environmental challenges and explore their role in advancing sustainable development.
