Mary is a dynamic action oriented horticultural professional, leader and mentor whose purpose in
life is to serve, touch lives and leave a legacy in any position she serves.
She has exemplary leadership and interpersonal skills that has seen her effectively
communicate her ideas to persons at different Professional and Social levels. She is particularly
fond of her students, women farmers and the under-priviledged. She is an excellent
researcher and great team player who believes that Research for development is the way to go
and investing in women in Africa is the smart option in order to solve poverty and malnutrition
problems in Sub –Saharan Africa. She is a result driven Professor of Horticulture and determined
promoter of African Indigenous Vegetables, based at Jomo Kenyatta University of agriculture
and Technology, Kenya. Prof Abukutsa-Onyango is an experienced and internationally
recognized educator, scholar, Scientist and a prolific researcher. She has been actively involved
in pro-poor and action research and University teaching for the last twenty years. Mary has
advocated for strategic repositioning of African indigenous vegetables in the Horticultural sector
for food security, nutrition, income and sustainable development in Kenya. She has also been
actively involved in pro-poor JICA funded NERICA rice adaptability trials in Kenya since 2001
with the Ministry of agriculture and KEPHIS. She has 10 years experience in conservation of
endangered African plants at the Botanic Garden, Maseno University under the BIOTA-East
Africa, E12 project 2001-2012 on vegetation, regeneration and ethno-Botany of East African
Mountain Forests. Professor Abukutsa has exercised her leadership prowess by successfully
serving in five senior leadership positions in male dominated University system since 1999.
Mary has been a member of over15 high profile Professional Associations including,
International Society Horticultural Science, African Crop Science Society, Horticultural
Association of Kenya, Kenya National Academy of Sciences and Kenya Professional
Association for Women in Agriculture and environment to mention a few. She serves as a
reviewer in over 10 high profile Journals most of which are open access and as a Board member
of several schools, colleges, development organizations and NGOs . Mary has voluntarily
mentored her students and high school girls since 1996 and is currently serving as a mentor in
round 1 and round 2 AWARD Program. She
hopes with the formal mentoring experience she can competently mentor more young scientists.
Prof Abukutsa has supervised 55 undergraduate and 20 postgraduate students and
published 30 peer reviewed journal papers, 40 papers in refereed conference proceedings and 5
book chapters. She has developed 8 simplified dissemination leaflets, 3 documentaries on
indigenous vegetables. She has selected and promoted 6 African indigenous vegetables with
nutrition and economic potential, produced quality seed and distributed to over 100 contact
farmers in Kenya. As a result she has contributed to raising the status and
increased availability of indigenous vegetables in super markets, big hotels, city restaurants,
Kenya Airways. The Ministry of Health now recommends these vegetables for HIV infected and
affected persons. Mary was part of the research team that led to the release of three NERICA rice
varieties (N1,N4 & N11) by the Ministry of agriculture. She has also been instrumental in
conserving over 200 species of useful African plants at the Botanic Garden, Maseno University
under the BIOTA-East Africa, E12 project. She has won over 10 prestigious awards,
recognitions and fellowships for her scholarly work that include: Recognition by AWARD to
showcase her pro-poor research on indigenous vegetables to US Secretary of State, Hillary
Clinton in August 2009tduring her visit to Kenya; Recognition by African
Union for winning First Prize and RUFORUM