The Inter Region Economic Network (IREN) has launched the IREN Technologies and Innovations Platform 2019 (ITIC 2019 ) to promote technology and innovation for use by farmers and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises in the agribusiness value chain.
The ITIC 2019 targets 13 counties in the Lake Region Economic Bloc including Bungoma, Busia, Homa Bay, Kakamega, Kericho, Kisii, Kisumu, Migori, Nandi, Nyamira, Siaya, Trans Nzoia and Vihiga.
Innovators are expected to address the region’s challenges in energy, storage, logistics and marketing. Last year, 166 youths enrolled in county solutions hubs through the challenge. Trans-Nzoia, Kakamega and Busia counties won county solution hubs contest with the post-harvest management solution, a self-sustaining energy system that powers an irrigation water pump, and a solar-powered cassava drying and chipping machine as a solution for post-harvest losses respectively.
Agriculture and ICT are one of the 10 pillars that the bloc has identified for economic integration. Others include tourism, trade and industrialization, education, health, water, environment, climate change, gender, people living with disabilities and youth, financial services and infrastructure.
