College of Agriculture & Natural Resources Department of Community Sustainability

Program: CSUS

Academic Focus Area: International Development

Hometown: Kenya

Advisor: John Kerr

John Olwande was born and raised in rural Kenya. He spent about seven years after his bachelor’s degree working in research on agricultural policy issues. During these years, he observed that farming communities in low income countries persistently face three major challenges: low agricultural productivity, food and nutrition insecurity and poverty. John is convinced that well-harnessed transformative technologies that sustainably manage productive resources to raise farm productivity, and markets and institutions that provide incentive structures that encourage appropriate investments in response to farmers’ needs are critical to resolving these challenges. His broad interest is in international development, with research focus on economics of sustainable agriculture and agricultural markets. His goal is to contribute to sustainable development of farming communities in especially low income countries.