The Inter Region Economic Network has launched a guidebook on inventive problem-solving aimed at improving food production in the lake region economic bloc.
The book titled The Innovator: A Guide to Inventive Problem-Solving showcases innovations that address challenges facing farmers.
It was launched during the IREN Technologies and Innovations Platform 2021 Trade Fair at the Bukura Agricultural Training Centre on Saturday.
The book borrows heavily from theories developed by Genrich Altshuller, a famous Russian scientist. Altshuller discovered that out of the more than 300,000 successful patents registered, they appeared to follow at least 40 principles.
“While existing problems have corresponding solutions, they keep recurring because we take less time to identify key contradictions that require to be fixed,” said James Shikwati, founder-director of IREN Kenya.
He said there are fundamental contradictions at the root of most problems.
“[For example] while an umbrella may be used to protect oneself from the elements of weather, a large umbrella may compromise one's ability to move freely in the streets and enter buildings. This calls for the invention of a foldable umbrella to eliminate such a contradiction,” Shikwati said.
The guide is meant to improve the quality of problem-solving in business, technology, and digitalisation initiatives in Kenya and East Africa.
Its schematic guidelines on how to apply for copyright and patents makes it handy for all innovators.
The IREN Technologies and Innovation Platform 2021’s sole aim is to catalyse problem-solving and productivity in agribusiness.
It is supported by the Friedrich Naumann Foundation, which is keen on encouraging food security solutions in the lake region.
The 2021 edition of ITIP’s trade fair infused a new component, farmer hubs, which will co-ordinate farmers in Kisii, Siaya and Kakamega counties in banana production initiatives (Kisii), Cassava production, potentates and honey (Siaya) and African leafy vegetables production (Kakamega).
The event was crowned by cultural exhibitions, games, music and dance.
IREN launched the first cookbook for traditional cuisines from Western Kenya in Kakamega in December 2019.
The book titled Chakula Chetu was launched by the Nabongo of Wanga His Royal Highness Maurice Wambani during the closing ceremony of the annual Bukura Trade and Culture Fair that was themed 'Show, Connect, Trade and Grow'.
The book features 16 food recipes popularly prepared by natives of Western.
The cuisines include mushroom stew (obwoba), green grams and sweet potatoes (omushenye), dried termites (tsiswa), boiled black nightshade (esufuwa), beans and sweet potatoes composite (omushenye), smoked beef (shihango), jute and cowpeas leaves mix (omurere and likhubi), free-range chicken (ingokho) and sorghum porridge (obusera).
Others are spider plant (chisaka), boiled narrow leaf (emiroo), pumpkin leaf vegetables (lisebebe), dried fish (eshibambala), bamboo shoots (kamalea), millet ugali (obusuma) and smoked fish (eshibambala).
Edited by Josephine M. Mayuya