The CHIAM project seeks to revolutionize food sustainability across Africa by integrating chia and oyster mushroom farming into local value chains. This initiative aims to enhance resilience, minimize food waste, and improve food security amid climate challenges.
Key research objectives include:
- 1. Technology Deployment: Implement technologies to create resilient, efficient food value chains that meet evolving demands.
- 2. Enhanced Food Security: Boost food market stability and production resilience to withstand climate variability.
- 3. Reduction of Food Losses: Develop novel approaches to reduce waste and transform side streams.
On May 12, 2023, a comprehensive stakeholder workshop was organized at DeKUT to delve into value chain mapping and chia-mushroom integration. This collaboration supports local knowledge transfer, capacity building, and an overall aim of bolstering African food systems against climate risks.
This initiative, coordinated by Dedan Kimathi University of Technology (DeKUT), focuses on fortified African products with chia and oyster mushrooms to increase nutritional quality. The project involves stakeholders from Kenya, Germany, Hungary, Egypt, and Algeria, each contributing specific expertise—from food technology and waste management to smart irrigation and molecular biology.
By combining diverse resources and expertise, the CHIAM project contributes significantly to the sustainable transformation of African food systems, promoting a model that could pave the way for other sustainable food initiatives on the continent.
