Biography
Kwame Ogero is an Associate Scientist based in Mwanza, Tanzania. He holds a Ph.D. in Ecological Plant Virology from Wageningen University & Research (WUR), Wageningen, The Netherlands, and an M.Sc. degree in Agronomy from Kenyatta University. His primary focus lies in the development of resilient and sustainable seed systems for roots, tubers, and banana (RTB) crops. With over 12 years of experience in RTB seed systems research, his mission is to empower both male and female farmers by ensuring their access to high-quality seed of market-preferred varieties. He also provides technical support to several countries, including Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda.
His research focuses on developing crop-specific models and decision support systems for understanding and managing seed degeneration. This includes identifying scenarios where on-farm management, resistant varieties, and seed replacement management strategies would be most optimal. Kwame is also interested in understanding the effects of climate change on the epidemiology of crop viruses and the socioeconomic factors that influence farmers’ decisions to use different sources of seed, including formal seed systems for access to improved varieties.
He leads the Sweetpotato Component of the Program for Seed Systems Innovations for Vegetatively Propagated Crops in Africa (PROSSIVA) and co-leads a cross-crop Cross Cutting Component of the same program. In addition, he is a co-PI for the ‘Tools4SeedSystems: working towards resilience through root, tuber, and banana crops in humanitarian settings’ project. Kwame serves on the Committee of the International Society for Tropical Root Crops – Africa Branch (ISTRC – AB) as the Eastern Africa Representative. Dr. Ogero is a past recipient of the Kenya National Commission for Science, Technology, and Innovation (NACOSTI) M.Sc. Grants and the Borlaug CGIAR Fellowship. Kwame’s aspiration is to work with like-minded partners in developing and disseminating innovative technologies that can contribute towards improving global food security.
