WFE Research team profiles
Dr. Nicky Pouw was granted a GCP grant for a 4-years research project that aims to strengthen women’s food entrepreneurship (WFE) in city slums in Kenya & Burkina Faso, based on an integrated understanding of the complex interactions between soil quality, food production and quality and nutrition for vulnerable groups. Please find below a short biography of all researchers involved in this WFE project.
Nicky Pouw
Amsterdam Institute of Social Science Research AISSR, University of Amsterdam (UvA), Amsterdam, the Netherlands
Nicky Pouw is project leader. She is affiliated as researcher and lecturer to the Governance and Inclusive Development group at the University of Amsterdam and specialized in the economics of poverty, inequality, gender and human wellbeing. She holds over twenty years of research experience in Africa.
Adama Belemviré
Études Action Conseils (EAC), Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
Adama Belemviré is a rural development engineer in the topic of water and forest. He is the Program Coordinator of EAC, a study and research action office in Burkina Faso. His expertise area covers development of participative tools to access long term program impacts, participatory rural appraisal, assessment of fois security and nutritional projects. He has more than 20 years of experience of rural development research and advisory of national NGOs.
Boris Jansen
Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics (IBED), University of Amsterdam (UvA), Amsterdam, the Netherlands
Boris Jansen is affiliated as researcher and lecturer to the Earth Surface Science Research Group of the Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics (IBED) at the University of Amsterdam. His domain of expertise lies in the field of soil chemistry, and in particular in studying the impact of natural and/or human induced change on processes governing the molecular chemical dynamics of organic matter in soils and sediments.
Elsie Kangai
Centre for Africa Bio-Entrepreneurship (CABE), Kenya
Elsie Kangai is the program manager of Centre for Africa Bio-Entrepreneurship (CABE). She is an agricultural economist specialized in rural development, entrepreneurship, monitoring and evaluation. She has co-authored publications covering youth and agriculture, public-private partnerships, technology uptake pathways, private sector investments in agricultural R&D.
Eunice Likoko
Amsterdam Institute of Social Science Research AISSR, University of Amsterdam (UvA), Amsterdam, the Netherlands
Eunice Likoko is a PhD candidate in Governance and Inclusive Development at the University of Amsterdam. She is specialized in sustainable development, social advocacy and has experience working among marginalized groups in informal settlements and rural communities.
Fred Zaal
Royal Tropical Institute, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
Fred Zaal is a Senior advisor at Royal Tropical Institute. He is a geographer with 30 years of experience in rural development research and advisory work in Africa. His expertise includes rural marketing systems and impact studies of local business and regional development on rural livelihoods.
Hannington Odame
Centre for Africa Bio-Entrepreneurship (CABE), Kenya
Hannington Odame is the director of the Centre for Africa Bio- Entrepreneurship (CABE) and the Network for Sub-Saharan Africa. He is specialized in food and nutrition, women and food processing, women and entrepreneurship household economics, biotechnology and AIS.
Huig Bergsma
BodemBergsma, Deventer, the Netherlands
Huig Bergsma is a Mineralogist/Geologist at BodemBergsma in Deventer, the Netherlands. He is specialized in rock flour fertilization, soil weathering, and mineral soil fertility in nature reserves.
Jan Hak 
Hak&Partners B.V., Almkerk, the Netherlands
Jan Hak is closely linked to the HAK enterprises. He is a food technologist and business development expert, working and educated in all aspects of the agro food value chain. Mr Jan Hak pays special attention to sustainable world food security by supporting high tech innovations and creating solutions for strategic, social and environmental issues.
Janvier Kini
Amsterdam Institute of Social Science Research AISSR, University of Amsterdam (UvA), Amsterdam, the Netherlands
Janvier Kini is a PhD Candidate in Governance and Inclusive Development at University of Amsterdam. His expertise area covers agribusiness, food security, water governance, local development and climate resilient development interventions. He is the founder of the Centre for Information, Research and Excellent Training (CIRFE) in Burkina Faso.
JB Okeyo-Owuor
Victoria Institute for Research on Environment and Development (VIRED), Rabour, Kisumu, Kenya
JB Okeyo-Owuor is a Professor of Environmental science and an expert in environmental and natural resources management, food security, environmental health and Environmental Impact Assessment. He is the Director General of VIRED International, an NGO Based in Kisumu City, Kenya and a Professor in the Rongo University College, Kenya.
Karsten Kalbitz
Institute of Soil Science and Site Ecology, Dresden University of Technology, Tharandt, Germany
Karsten Kalbitz is a Professor of Soil Resources and Land Use at Dresden University of Technology, Germany. He is an expert in soil science and soil biogeochemistry. He is particularly interested in the dynamics of organic matter in soils and waters, interactions between organic matter, mineral constituents and pollutants.
Tamara Jonkman
Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics (IBED), University of Amsterdam (UvA), Amsterdam, the Netherlands
Tamara Jonkman is a PhD candidate at University of Amsterdam, Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics (IBED) and junior lecturer at the Institute of Interdisciplinary Science (IIS), University of Amsterdam. She has experience with sample collection in the field and processing in the laboratory.
Former project members
Boubié Bassolet
University of Ouagadougou, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
Boubié Bassolet is a development economist affiliated to the University of Ouagadougou. Her expertise area covers development economics, agriculture and food security.
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Hermann Lanou
Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la Santé (IRSS), Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
Hermann Lanou is a Medical Doctor and Public Health Nutritionist at the Institute of Research in Health Sciences (IRSS) of Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. He has broad experience in impact evaluation of dietary supplements and nutrition education in prevention and management of malnutrition in children and women.
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Lizzie Dipple
Amsterdam Institute of Social Science Research AISSR, University of Amsterdam (UvA), Amsterdam, the Netherlands
Lizzie Dipple worked on knowledge management and dissemination for the project. She was development economist and research assistant in the Governance and Inclusive Development group at the University of Amsterdam. She has a special interest in gender economics and impact assessment and a background in project management and publishing.
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Margherita Giordano
Amsterdam Institute of Social Science Research AISSR, University of Amsterdam (UvA), Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Margherita Giordano was entitled to Knowledge Management and Dissemination. She was affiliated as research assistant to the Governance and Inclusive Development group at the University of Amsterdam and specialized in impact assessment, food security and social protection policies.
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