Kenya
Peanut Lab in Kenya
Working with ICRISAT in Kenya, lab researchers are working with molecular markers to find resistence to Groundnut Rosette Virus, which will empower breeders every where to incorporate resistance to the disease.
Mapping GRV resistance
With the use of the latest genomics technology, markers and genetic mapping are working hand in hand to better modify the locally adopted varieties of groundnut. Genetic mapping resources will progress the efficiency of marker usage for battling the groundnut rosette disease. Resistance to the disease and its virus has already been introduced to the local varieties. Through the use of mapping and markers, more future varieties are projected to also be resistant to the disease.
About Kenya
Kenya is a country in East Africa famed for its scenic landscapes and vast wildlife preserves. Its Indian Ocean coast provides important ports for world trading. The country’s diverse wildlife and panoramic geography draw large numbers of European and North American visitors, and tourism is an important contributor to Kenya’s economy.
Population
The African peoples of Kenya, who constitute virtually the entire population, are divided into three language groups: Bantu, Nilo-Saharan, and Afro-Asiatic. Bantu is by far the largest, and its speakers are mainly concentrated in the southern third of the country. In addition to the African population, Kenya is home to groups who immigrated there during British colonial rule. People from India and Pakistan began arriving in the 19th century, although many left after independence.
Health
Improved housing, education, sanitation, and nutrition, health care programs have drastically reduced mortality rates from pre-independence levels, especially for children under the age of five. High rates of malaria, gastroenteritis, diarrhea, etc. continue, and it is difficult it is to eradicate mosquitoes and provide clean water, especially in the countryside. Kenya, like other countries in Africa suffering under the AIDS pandemic, has utilized a number of strategies to combat the disease. Some drug companies lowered their prices in Kenya by more than half in the early 21st century.
Agricultural Production
In the first years after independence, the government sought to redistribute the land on which most of the agricultural exports were produced. Although there are now thousands of large farms, ranches, and plantations, the majority of the farms are smaller than five acres.
