Jackline Foya Mathew

My name is Jackline Foya Mathew, a graduate of Sokoine University of Agriculture with a Bachelor of Science in Food Science and Technology. I recently completed the Tenkai online course on “Japan Food Systems for Food and Nutrition Improvement in Africa,” held from November 2023 to March 2024. Through this course, I gained insights into how Japan’s agriculture and food systems operate within their specific environmental and climatic conditions, highlighting techniques that could be adapted to African contexts. I found it inspiring to learn about initiatives to improve agricultural biodiversity and nutrition in Africa; tools like the ADD-IT app could significantly support communities by promoting nutritious diets based on local dishes.

As a food science graduate, I am now sharing this knowledge with my community through discussions and meetings. I plan to start an organization with other graduates to provide digital food and nutrition education and create an app similar to ADD-IT to reach a wider population. We also aim to process perishable foods, like tomatoes, to reduce waste.