Mary Abukutsa-Onyango

Mary Oyiela Abukutsa-Onyango (born 20 February 1959) is a humanitarian and agricultural scientist from Kenya who specializes in olericulture, agronomy, plant physiology. Abukutsa-Onyango is a professor of horticulture at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology whose work focuses on African indigenous food crops. Abukutsa Onyango has studied how African indigenous vegetables can be used to combat malnutrition in Africa while maintaining a secure form of revenue even during more challenging weather and climate.

Mary Oyiela Abukutsa-Onyango was born on 20 February 1959 in Ematsuli, Kenya. She is the third born in a family of eight children to Enos Abukutsa Masele and Rosebella Amumbwe Abukutsa. She was baptized at Ilungu Seventh Day Adventist church in August 1975 by Pastor Washington Buka. While growing up in Kenya, Abukutsa-Onyango became ill due to an allergy to animal proteins, so her family cooked African vegetables that were abundant where she lived such as African nightshade, jute mallow, and the greens of cowpeas. One of her grandmothers cooked pumpkin leaves with peanut or sesame paste. Abukutsa-Onyango’s father, Enos encouraged and supported his daughter becoming academic, and her mother Rosebella taught her to love and care. Abukutsa-Onyango married J.C. Onyango on 3 April 1987 and had two boys, Douglas Ochieng’ and Anthony Okelo.

Abukutsa-Onyango attended Ematsuli Primary School from 1966 to 1972 in Emuhya, Kenya. She later attended Bunyore Girls High School from 1973 to 1976 in Wekhomo, Kenya and Ng’iya Girls High School in 1977 in Ng’iya, Kenya. She obtained a Bachelors of Science in Agriculture in 1983 from the University of Nairobi. She received her Masters of Science in Agriculture in 1988 from the University of Nairobi. Finally, she received her Doctor of Philosophy in Olericulture, Plant Physiology and Nutrition in 1995 from Wye College, University of London.

...
Wikipedia