Our Challengers
The Global Knowledge Initiative believes in our Challengers. They are the men and women harnessing science and innovation around the world to solve some of the toughest problems—hunger, poverty, disease. LINK focuses resources on these scientists together with their teams, each of whom submitted winning proposals vetted by our Technical Committee and was found commendable, to magnify their efforts to solve problems. Click on the Challenger to reveal more about his or her challenge, commitment to solving it, and scientific background. If you’re a solver, or want to submit a challenge of your own for our next LINK competition, please contact us at info@gkinitiative.org.
Challenge: Axing Antestia to Accelerate Agricultural Productivity
Help Daniel battle the antestia bug threatening one of Rwanda's dominant agricultural sectors: coffee
Challenger: Dr. Daniel Rukazambuga
Title and Institution: Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture at the National University of Rwanda
Location: Butare, Rwanda
Email: drukazambuga@nur.ac.rw
Challenge: Cultivating Cassava to Create Income
Help John adapt the value chain for cassava, improve the livelihoods of cassava farmers, and provide food security for Ugandans
Challenger: Dr. John A. Bananuka
Title and Institution: Regional Network Coordinator; BIO-EARN and Uganda National Council for Science and Technology
Location: Kampala, Uganda
Email: bananukaja@yahoo.com
Challenge: Accessing Academia for Agriculture
Help Peter increase agricultural yields and connect students, researchers, and remote farmers through information and communication technologies (ICTs)
Challenger: Dr. Peter Ebanyat
Title and Institution:Lecturer in the Department of Soil Science, Faculty of Agriculture at Makerere University
Location: Kampala, Uganda
Email: ebanyat@agric.mak.ac.ug
Challenge: Boosting Milk Production to Beat Malnutrition
Help Fred commercialize cattle supplements to increase beef and milk production for East African farmers
Challenger: Dr. Fred Kabi
Title and Institution:Senior Lecturer in the Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture at Makerere University
Location: Kampala, Uganda
Email: fredkabi@agric.mak.ac.ug
Challenge: Feeding Female Farmers and their Families
Help Samuel increase milk and meat productivity while improving the health and well being of peri-urban East Africans
Challenger: Dr. Samuel Okello
Title and Institution: Senior Lecturer and Head of Department of Physiological Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at Makerere University
Location: Kampala, Uganda
Email: sokello@vetmed.mak.ac.ug
Challenge: Engaging Networks to Develop Africa’s Animal Production Systems
Help Michael improve human capital within the livestock sector through scaling his job-specific skills training program.
Challenger: Michael Kansiime
Title: Head of the Secretariat, Programs Development Manager
Host Institution:Africa Institute for Strategic Animal Resource Services and Development (AFRISA)
Location: Kampala, Uganda
Email: Drkanmich@yahoo.com
Challenge: Enhancing Climate Change Resilient Mango Value Chains
Help Everline improve the wellbeing of rural farmers by strengthening mango supply chain
Challenger: Dr. Everline Komutunga
Title: Research Officer, Agro-Meteorological Team
Host Institution: Uganda National Agricultural Research Organization (NARO)
Location: Kampala, Uganda
Email: komutungae@gmail.com
Challenge: Harvesting Surface Runoff and Rainwater to Promote Dryland Agriculture
Help Kennedy build a technology system that enables communities in Kenya’s Arid and Semi-Arid Lands to efficiently find and store water.
Challenger: Dr. Kennedy Mwetu
Title: Faculty Member and Lecturer
Host Institution: Department of Agricultural Resources Management, School of Agriculture and Enterprise Development, Kenyatta University
Location: Nairobi, Kenya
Email: kmwetu@yahoo.com
Challenge: Using Information and Communication Technologies to Develop Agricultural Markets
Help Newton develop a mobile-phone application through which rural farmers can gain real-time information on market prices
Challenger: Dr. Newton M. Nyairo
Title: Lecturer/Researcher
Host Institution: Agribusiness Management and Trade, School of Agriculture and Enterprise Development, Kenyatta University
Location: Nairobi, Kenya
Email: nyairo.newton@ku.ac.ke
Challenge: Enhancing Seed Technology Research and Capacity in Afghanistan
Help Gulmohammad modernize the university training techniques and equipment needed to build a domestic seed industry in Afghanistan
Challenger: Dr. Gulmohammad Ajir
Title: Associate Professor
Host Institution: Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture, Kabul University
Location: Kabul, Afghanistan
Email: gulmohammad.ajir@yahoo.com
Challenge: Using the Experiences of Pakistan to Improve the Seed Technology Research of Afghanistan
Help Rashid extend a multi-pronged partnership to build human capacity and infrastructure for enhanced seed technology development and use in Afghanistan
Challenger: Dr. Rashid Ahmad
Title: Professor
Host Institution: Department of Crop Physiology, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad
Location: Faisalabad, Pakistan
Email: uaf_rashid@yahoo.com
