About the Centre
About LCEFoNS
Our Origin
From a single crop
to a systems challenge.
In March 2016, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology became the only Kenyan university that won a VLIR-UOS funded IUC Programme to establish a Legume Centre of Excellence for Food and Nutrition Security (LCEFoNS). This is a North-South Collaboration between JKUAT in Kenya and KU Leuven and Vrije Universiteit Brussels, both from Belgium.
The Programme is an interdepartmental and interdisciplinary project domiciled at the Faculty of Agriculture involving different departments and working closely with the College of Health Sciences and School of Computing and Information Technology. The programme focuses on different stages along the value chain of legumes, from agricultural production, postharvest storage and food processing until human consumption and its impact on human nutrition and health. The role of ICT in data collection, handling, management and dissemination of project outputs will be explored.
Consequently, the programme consists of four interrelated research projects and a Programme Supporting Unit. The first project is anchored in the department of Horticulture focused on legume production and management practices including breeding for easy to cook flatulence free varieties. The second project led by the department of Food Science and Technology develops a tool kit for identifying the sensitivity of legumes to the hard to cook defect (HTC). The third project led by department of Nutrition and Dietetics in collaboration with College of Health Sciences identifies legume consumption patterns and carries out trials on nutritional and health impact. The fourth project is transversal (School of Computing and Information Technology) and supports the core thematic related projects.
The programme will enhance the human and infrastructural capacity of JKUAT particularly in the field of Agricultural Sciences and ICT. In the first five years, 7 PhD students and 17 MSc graduates will carry out research within the 4 projects. This will be paralleled by improvement in laboratory infrastructure through procurement of discipline related research equipment.
Mission
To enhance the human and infrastructural capacity of JKUAT particularly in the field of Agricultural Sciences and ICT.
Vision
To strengthen the role of JKUAT and in particular the Faculty of Agriculture in agricultural development and strengthen its linkage with target stakeholders from government and community.
Programme Journey
Programme Phases
2016 – 2022
Phase 1: Capacity Building
2023 – Present
Phase 2: Research & Impact
2016 – 2022
Phase 1: Capacity Building
- Establishment of LCEFoNS at JKUAT under the VLIR-UOS IUC Programme
- 7 PhD students and 17 MSc graduates trained across 4 research projects
- Laboratory infrastructure development and research equipment procurement
- Four interrelated research projects launched covering the legume value chain
2023 – Present
Phase 2: Research & Impact
- Building on Phase 1 outcomes to deepen research impact and visibility
- Research publications, knowledge transfer, and policy engagement
- Stakeholder collaboration with government, industry, and farming communities
- Long-term sustainability planning and programme legacy development
Consortium Members
North-South Partnership
Host Institution · Kenya
JKUAT provides the primary research infrastructure, field sites, and laboratories. It houses all four project leads and the majority of PhD students, and serves as the administrative hub of the consortium.
Visit institutionNorth Partner · Belgium
KU Leuven contributes expertise in plant genomics, post-harvest engineering, and food science through its Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, and co-supervises PhD candidates on joint programmes.
Visit institutionNorth Partner · Belgium
VUB leads the ICT project from its Engineering Sciences faculty and hosts the Flemish Project Coordinator. It manages the VLIR-UOS funding relationship and steers North-South knowledge exchange.
Visit institutionFunder · Belgium
VLIR-UOS funds and governs the project through its IUC (Institutional University Cooperation) programme, with a mission to strengthen institutional research capacity in the Global South through long-term partnerships.
Visit institutionLeadership
Project Coordinators
Prof. Daniel Ndaka Sila
Local Coordinator · JKUAT, Kenya
Senior Lecturer and Researcher at JKUAT. Programme Coordinator for the LCEFoNS IUC Programme, overseeing all four projects, consortium reporting, and local stakeholder relationships.
Prof. Marc Hendrickx
Flemish Coordinator · KU Leuven, Belgium
Full Professor at KU Leuven, Laboratory of Food Technology. Chairs the steering committee, manages the VLIR-UOS reporting relationship, and oversees the research from the European side.