Kenyatta University alumni, Dr Dennis Beesigamukama (pictured), has been named the recipient of the 2024 Norman E. Borlaug Award for Field Research and Application.
The announcement was made by 2021 World Food Prize Laureate Shakuntala Haraksingh Thilsted on behalf of the Rockefeller Foundation, which endows the award.
Dr Beesigamukama, a Ugandan national and a Postdoctoral Fellow in Insect Frass Fertilizers and Soil Health at the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE) in Nairobi, Kenya, was honored for his innovative work in developing low-cost technologies that transform organic waste into nutrient-rich, insect-composited fertilizers.
These breakthroughs are reshaping agricultural practices across East Africa, particularly as the region grapples with the damaging effects of climate change.
“Receiving the prestigious Norman Borlaug Award for Field Research and Application makes me totally thrilled and grateful,” Beesigamukama said.
“It has refueled my energy in harnessing the immense power of insects—small creatures with a big impact, capable of breathing fresh life into degraded soils and sustainably transforming agriculture for improved food security,” he added.
