At Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology, in Bondo - Kenya, experiments and research have been conducted on the improvement of technology and capacity of smallholder farmers in the surroundings. At a distance of 20 km in the village Siaya a farmers cooperative is functioning, linked to a local primary and a local secondary school. The school is supported by a Dutch foundation. The cooperative is primarily working at the improvement of corn production (new varieties, better methods) but it is also experimenting with greenhouse technology on a small scale. Agricultural knowledge is available in the person of the head of the local school who has introduced many innovations in agriculture and organized the farmers cooperative.
The farmers cooperative is interested in the possibilities of greenhouse technology for farming. The past experiences at JOOUST can be used to introduce the farmers in greenhouse technology and greenhouse farming. The assignment consists in exploring the potential of greenhouse farming in the context of Siaya and also exploring other options for improving agriculture by means of small-scale suitable technologies and an entrepreneurial approach, under the supervision of the head of the local school. The students working on this assignment will work in close cooperation with the students at JOOUST (and the other way around).