Meru University of Science and Technology (MUST) through the Food Waste Reduction and Food Quality Living LAB (FORQLAB) in Avocado value chain in Kenya project is working with several Universities in the Netherlands, one of them being HAS University of Applied Sciences recently renamed HAS green academy. From 7^th May to 16^th May 2023, five (5) students and two (2) lecturers from HAS have been in Kenya as part of the project research activities. The five students include: Nicholas Burger, Maureen Lile van den Berg, Dafa Dana Witoelar, Tijn Johannes van Staalduinen, and Sander Duijghuisen.  The two visiting lecturers are Eleonora Magdalena van Hapert and Bertken Margaretha de Leede.

The students are carrying out research on the avocado value chain and mainly researched with the Nandi cooperative society to look at food loss in that value chain and also explored a working financial model for the chain. They were able to make several recommendations which include: using the avocado to make other products such as oil for both domestic use and cosmetic use, educating farmers on best practices, sensitizing farmers to avoid exploitation from middlemen, informing farmers’ cooperatives on the possibility of signing contracts with both farmers and exporters, among other measures.

On 15^th May 2023, the team from HAS was hosted at Meru University of Science and Technology where they joined 5 students from MUST Namely: June Sharon Kinoti, Annette Cheptoo, Oscar Wamalwa, Shelef Ochieng’ and Kennedy Manyara to present concept papers for their studies. The collaboration between the students and the lecturers continues.