What topics do your research generally focus on ?

My research topic was “Mobility patterns and their impact on urban-rural linkages in small and intermediate towns in Kenya with A focus on the milk value chain.”
This research aims to fill the research gap on the role motivations, benefits, challenges and implications of urban-rural mobility from the lens of the milk value chain.

The key finding of this research is that the milk value chain that exhibits itself in the rural-urban space and has led to the shaping of the territory from the village, market to urban centres and development of an agri-based clusters – Githunguri ‘milk’ town.

What main research questions could you solve during this PHD ?

The main research questions are:

What are the mobility patterns along the milk value chain?

What are the barriers and adaptations of mobility along the milk value chain?

What is the impact of mobility patterns on urban-rural linkages?

What is the impact of mobility on rural and urban livelihoods transformation?

What difficulties did you encounter during this project?

My most challenging bit was being broad at the beginning of the research; before taking time to focus on a specific transect and the milk value chain which eventually helped me to actualise the research.

The transect also kept evolving necessitating investigation of new dynamics as the main road got constructed.

Also some of the respondents like the milk vendors were not easy to get, and it took more patience to be able to reach them.

How helpful this PHD will be for you ?

This PHD will be useful in my career as a lecturer in the university and will also enhance my opportunities to be part of other research and consultancy projects. I plan to still continue teaching at Kenyatta University and to also take part in related research on issues of mobility and urban development.

Where does this interest in your research come from?

My particular interest in the research topic was because I was previously engaged in a research on issues of urban rural linkages and regional planning with UN-Habitat that created my enquiry on the issues of the dynamics of mobility between urban and rural areas especially in regard to road infrastructure. I was also interested in the role of small and intermediate towns in the growth of rural areas.

My motivation to do a PHD was mainly because I had chosen a career path in research and scholarly work, and therefore a Phd would build my capacity in regard to that.

What advice would you give other LAM PHD students?

My advice to my colleagues would be to be persistent and keep going no matter the set-backs during the doctoral process.

One of the lessons I learnt during this research is that it is important to be very specific in the issues to be covered during the research to avoid being broad.