Florence Wambugu

Florenece Wambugu
Born	(1953-08-23) August 23, 1953 (age 71)
Nationality	Kenya
Alma mater	University of Nairobi North Dakota State University University of Bath
Occupation(s)	plant pathologist and virologist

Florence Muringi Wambugu (born 23 August 1953 in Nyeri County) is a Kenyan plant pathologist and virologist. She is known for her advocacy of using biotechnology to increase food production in Africa. ^{[1] [2]}

Early life

Florence Wambugu was born in 1953 as the 6th of nine children. ^[3]

Education

She was the first woman to attend the University of Nairobi, Kenya, where she received her Bachelor of Science in botany and zoology. ^[3] She obtained her Master of Science in botanical pathology from North Dakota State University, United States in 1984; and her PhD from the University of Bath, England in 1991. ^[4]

She was also awarded an Honorary Degree (Doctor of Science) from the University of Bath in 2009.^{[ citation needed ]}

Professional career

Wambugu is the founder, director and the chief executive officer of Africa Harvest Biotech Foundation International (AHBFI) since 2002. ^[5] Previously, she founded, established and worked as Africa Region Director, ISAAA – Afri-center, in Nairobi.^{[ citation needed ]} From 1978 to 1991, she worked as a senior research officer (pathologist) and coordinator of plant biotechnology research at the Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI), Kenya. Thereafter (1991–1994), she was a post-doctoral fellow with Monsanto Company.^{[ citation needed ]}

She has made significant contributions to the research, development and improvement of maize, pyrethrum, banana, sweet potato and forestry production in Kenya. She has published over 100 articles and co-authored various papers. ^{[6] [7]}

Previously, she served on several board of directors including the Private Sector Committee of the CGIAR, the United Nations Millennium Development goals Hunger task force; she also was a member of the executive committee of Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA); the DuPont Company Biotech Advisory Panel, USA; the International Plant Genetic Resources Institute (IPGRI, now called Bioversity International), and the African Biotechnology Stakeholders Forum (ABSF).^{[ citation needed ]}

Currently, she is serving as a Council Member of the Japan Science and Technology in Society (STS) Forum  ^{[ ja ]}; a steering committee member of the European Action on Global Life Sciences (EAGLES); and a Science Board member of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Grand Challenge in Global Health.^{[ citation needed ]}

GM Sweet Potato

Florence Wambugu was involved in a project to develop a genetically modified (GM) sweet potato. ^[8] In February 2004, the science magazine, New Scientist , reported ^[9] that the project had failed.

Awards

Florence Wambugu has been the recipient of numerous awards.

• IITA's (International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Nigeria) Award (1981)^{[ citation needed ]}
• KARI's Crop Science Award for Outstanding Scientist of the Year (1989)^{[ citation needed ]}
• International Potato Center's (CIP) Regional Research Award/Grant (1989)^{[ citation needed ]}
• Farmers Support Award, Pyrethrum Marketing Board of Kenya (1990)^{[ citation needed ]}
• Recognised as an exemplary PhD candidate, Virology Division of Horticultural Research International in England and KARI (1991)^{[ citation needed ]}
• Monsanto Company Outstanding Performance Award (1992, 1993)^{[ citation needed ]}
• First Place Medal Winner, Global Development Network Awards, KARI (2000)^{[ citation needed ]}
• World Bank Global Development Network Award, for the successful introduction of tissue-culture banana in Kenya (2000) ^[10]
• Woman of the Year by Eve Magazine (2000) ^[11]
• Yara Prize, for her significant contribution to the fight against hunger and poverty in Africa (2008) ^[12]
• Honorary Degree (Doctor of Science), University of Bath (2009)^{[ citation needed ]}

Publications

• Wambugu F, Obukosia S, Gaffney J, Kamanga D, Che P, Albertsen MC, Zhao ZY, Ragland L, Yeye M, Kimani E, Aba D, Gidado R, Solomon BO, Njuguna M. Is there a place for nutrition-sensitive agriculture? Proc Nutr Soc. 2015 Nov;74(4):441-8. doi: 10.1017/S0029665115000099. Epub 2015 Apr 8. PMID: 25851095. ^[13]
• Wambugu FM. Development and transfer of genetically modified virus-resistant sweet potato for subsistence farmers in Kenya. Nutr Rev. 2003 Jun;61(6 Pt 2):S110-3. doi: 10.1301/nr.2003.jun.S110-S113. PMID: 12908741. ^[8]

References

1. Wambugu, Florence (11 November 2001). "Protesters Don't Grasp Africa's Need". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 20 March 2025.
2. "Dr. Florence Wambugu – Africa Harvest" . Retrieved 20 March 2025.
3. "Wambugu, Florence 1953– | Encyclopedia.com". www.encyclopedia.com. Retrieved 20 March 2025.
4. "Meet Dr Florence Wambugu, a plant pathologist reshaping food production". Nation. 7 September 2023. Retrieved 20 March 2025.
5. "Florence Wambugu | Ashoka". www.ashoka.org. Retrieved 20 March 2025.
6. Wambugu, Florence (11 November 2001). "Protesters Don't Grasp Africa's Need". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 20 March 2025.
7. "Dr. Florence Muringi Wambugu". Africa Harvest. Retrieved 18 September 2020.
8. Wambugu, Florence M. (June 2003). "Development and transfer of genetically modified virus-resistant sweet potato for subsistence farmers in Kenya". Nutrition Reviews. 61 (6 Pt 2): S110–113. doi:10.1301/nr.2003.jun.S110-S113. ISSN   0029-6643. PMID   12908741.
9. "Monsanto's showcase project in Africa fails". Archived from the original on 11 July 2007. Retrieved 24 April 2008.
10. "Meet Dr Florence Wambugu, a plant pathologist reshaping food production". Nation. 7 September 2023. Retrieved 20 March 2025.
11. Wambugu, Florence; Kamanga, Daniel, eds. (2014). Biotechnology in Africa: Emergence, Initiatives and Future. Science Policy Reports. Springer International Publishing. ISBN   978-3-319-04000-4.
12. "The Yara Prize Laureates 2008 | Yara International". Archived from the original on 27 September 2011. Retrieved 18 August 2011.
13. Wambugu, Florence; Obukosia, Silas; Gaffney, Jim; Kamanga, Daniel; Che, Ping; Albertsen, Marc C.; Zhao, Zuo-Yu; Ragland, Lonnetta; Yeye, Mary; Kimani, Esther; Aba, Daniel; Gidado, Rose; Solomon, B. O.; Njuguna, Michael (November 2015). "Is there a place for nutrition-sensitive agriculture?". The Proceedings of the Nutrition Society. 74 (4): 441–448. doi:10.1017/S0029665115000099. ISSN   1475-2719. PMID   25851095.

External links

• Profile in Africa Harvest – Biotech Foundation International
• Biography at encyclopedia.com
• Biotech site at the Wayback Machine (archived 6 October 2006)
• Profile on GMWatch at the Wayback Machine (archived 3 June 2004)
• Why Africa needs agricultural biotech – Nature 1999