Foundation Fiat Panis funds research on irrigation and nutrition linkages

14 September 2020 - The research titled “Irrigation and nutrition linkages in rural Kenya; the effect of institutions and socio-economic characteristics on the impact pathway” seeks to contribute to the understanding of the link between irrigation and nutrition in rural Kenya. The project explores three main questions: How are institutions structured? How do the socio-economic aspects of the actors involved influence the irrigation set-up? Through which pathways does irrigation influence nutrition? The research area is rural Kenya, specifically Kirinyaga and Embu counties.

The research is funded by the Foundation Fiat Panis and the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and forms part of the PhD study of Nixon Murathi Kiratu under the International PhD Program in Agricultural Economics, Bioeconomy and Rural Development (IPPAE). The research work is supervised by Professor Dr. Martin Petrick and Dr. Eefje Aarnoudse.

Despite a few challenges under the current Covid situation, such as travel restrictions and curfew enforcement in Kenya, the critical part of data collection for the research work has embarked in Kenya. With the research consisting of personal interviews and focus group discussions, adjustments to the research structure are in place to ensure the safety of both research participants and the researcher.

Contact: Nixon Murathi Kiratu