University of Kabianga is implementing European Union funded project TC4BE (Transformative Change in Telecoupled  Agrifood Systems for Biodiversity and Equity) with partners from across the Globe. Specifically, UoK is involved in work packages 4 and 5 dealing with data collection and synthesis at National and Landscape levels and to a limited extent with Workpackage 6 dealing with project reports and dissemination. The project is hosted in the School of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources and implemented by a multidisciplinary team led by Dr Joseph Hitmana, a Forest Conservation and Silviculture expert, who is also the Dean of the School. Others are Prof Jack Ogembo and Mr George Omondi, Social Sciences experts, Dr Noah Kibet, an Agricultural Policy and International Trade Expert,  Dr Dorothy Masiga Syallow, a Biodiversity and Community Mobilization expert, and Pauline Kimani, a GIS and Remote Sensing expert.

From 17th  to 18th  October 2023, the University received Prof Ximena Rueda Fajardo  from  University de Los Andes Colombia, South America, who is the partner coordinating WP4 dealing with National  level studies in Kenya, Cameroon and Colombia representing  food producing Countries for commodities exported to EU and UK markets. Her mission was to appreciate the progress made by UoK and exchange experiences on the methodologies to apply in planned activities for WP4. During the visit, we had an excursion in the field where we interacted with Nyangores avocado growers (Bomet County) for export. We also visited the section of Mau Forest Complex in the same area. We appreciated the state of this ecosystem which is rich in biodiversity and a major water catchment in the Country, the Region and the World. The visited area is part of the Mau Forest - Mara Landscape, one of the two study sites in Kenya. The other site being Mt Kenya Landscape.

Highlights of discussed issues;

• WP4 deliverables, methods and achievements
• National policies analysis and stakeholder engagement approaches
• Colombia and Kenya experiences
• Field visit to the Mau - Mara landscape with focus on tea and avocado agrifood systems, biodiversity and equity
• Beyond TC4BE Colombia - UoK linkages. 
• Visit to UoK Fruits and Drinking water processing Plant

The visit was very educative and informative. The visitor left with good memories and enjoyed her first visit ever in Kericho and at Uok.