CARPS student

Mr. Henry Okwaro is from Nakuru Sub County in Nakuru County, in Kenya. He holds a Bachelor’s of Science Degree from Choudhry Charan Singh University in India and a Master of Science Degree (Plant Breeding) from Moi University. The Title of his thesis was “Development of Cassava varieties resistant to cassava mosaic disease using mutation and molecular techniques”. He has received additional training from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) laboratory at Seibersdorf in Austria on “Crop improvement and management through application of nuclear and biotechnology techniques”. Mr. Okwaro received additional training on “Use of Radio-Isotope and Mutation techniques” at Saraykoy Nuclear Research Training Center in Ankara, Turkey. He has worked on developing varieties with novel traits on various crops including Cassava and Bananas while working for Kenya Agricultural Research Organization (KALRO), based at the Food Crops Research Centre(FCRC) Njoro, He has been PI of several IAEA funded projects, notably, Grant number CRP KEN-14693. (N-17/REV.13), 2009: “Development of superior well adapted banana and Irish potato varieties using mutation and marker aided breeding for Kenya’s Agro ecologies” and CRP KEN-16950 2014: “Crop Improvement for high Yields and enhanced Adaptability to Climate Change”. He is currently pursuing a Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Plant Breeding at Egerton University. His Doctoral Research Project is funded by the Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM). Okwaro’s research focuses on “Development and Molecular Characterisation of improved cassava (maniholt esculenta L.) varieties resistant to cassava brown streak disease (CBSVD) in Kenya. The study will generate information that will be used in Cassava breeding programmes to address the major constraint in Cassava production