Sampled Readers' Comments

From: Bondoc Ionel
Sent: Wednesday, March 5, 2025 9:47 AM
To: info@ajfand.net
Cc: Prof. Ruth Oniang'o; Michael Okumu
Subject: Acknowledgments_Congratulations

Dear Prof. Ruth Khasaya ONIANG'O
Dear colleagues,

Thank you very much for your message and good news.
I take this opportunity to express my thanks and congratulations on the most recent scientific and professional achievement—the inclusion of AJFAND in FAO's AGRIS Database. I am genuinely delighted with this achievement and proud to be part of this wonderful team that made such an achievement possible.
Again, thank you for the editorial team's effort and great collaboration so far.
Have a nice day, good health, and good luck to all our colleagues!

Kind Regards,

Ionel BONDOC,
International Editor and Reviewer,
European Commission Expert

From: Kevin Obonyo
Sent: Wednesday, January 29, 2025 6:25 PM
To: Michael Okumu
Cc: Prof. Ruth Oniang'o; Emily AJFAND
Subject: Re: PUBLISHED - AJFAND Volume 25 No. 1 (2025)

Dear Editors,

I express my sincere gratitude to you and the editorial team at AJFAND for your time, effort, and thoughtful feedback during the peer review process. Your valuable insights and suggestions have greatly contributed to improving the quality of my work.

I also appreciate the opportunity to publish in AJFAND and the professionalism demonstrated throughout the review and publication process. It has been a pleasure working with you and your team.

Thank you once again for your support.
Best regards,

Kevin Obonyo

From: Richard Douglass
Sent: Wednesday, January 29, 2025 5:23 PM
To: Bill Lavery & Barb Lavery; Lew Perin; Kelvin Amponsah; Richard Tumawu; Anna Reimmer
Subject: Fw: Announcing AJFAND Volume 25 No. 1 (2025)

AJFAND continues to succeed. It is such a joy to have been part of this instrument of education, change, and hope since 2006! In a world that seems to be tearing itself apart this journal is an exception to the trend.

Congratulations to Ruth and her crew!!

Richard Douglass, MPH, PhD

From: Kelvin Amponsah
Sent: Friday, January 31, 2025 5:51 AM To: Ruth Oniang'o - AJFAND
Cc: Richard Douglass; Bill Lavery & Barb Lavery; Lew Perin; Richard Tumawu; Anna Reimmer
Subject: Re: Announcing AJFAND Volume 25 No. 1 (2025)

Prof, thank you for sharing this wonderful update about AJFAND! It's truly heartwarming to see the impact this journal has had on education, change, and hope since 2006.

I completely agree with you that in these challenging times, initiatives like AJFAND are a beacon of hope. Congratulations to Ruth and her team on their continued success!
Kelvin

From: Davies Veli Nkosi
Sent: Saturday, July 27, 2024 10:50 PM
To: Ruth Oniang'o
Subject: Re: Announcing AJFAND Volume 24 No. 7 (2024)

Dear Prof Ruth

What an interesting reading. I feel the need to appreciate this piece. Africa has a story to tell, our rise is strongly imbedded in our youth. There is no reason why Africa cannot dominate the world from Food supply, Sports, and many other codes. Unfortunately, the cream of Africans is continuously leaving Africa and continues to develop other richer continents. African problems need African solutions by African people.
Thank you once more. Regards
Veli

From: John Lupiem
Sent: Saturday, July 27, 2024 9:13 PM
To: Ruth Oniang'o
Subject: Re:Announcing AJFAND Volume 24 No. 7 (2024)

Dear Ruth,

Congratulations on another very good issue, and on your perfect Editor's Note. I compltely agree with you that there is a need to improve the admiistration of all countires of Africa if Africa Rising is to improve the possibilities of better life for all in Kenya or in most other African countries.
In the area of food safety. quality and nutrition the work done by Kenya and many other countries of Africa has been in place for many years. I'm proud of the work FAO and I and my fellow FAO staff did to cooperate with the countries to lay down the basics needed to enable better food supplies and the rules needed to enable this to happen. Since that time 30-40 years ago things have improved, but not rapadly enough because of the many probelms your Note so expertly explains. I do hope that the younger people in every country do take action to correct the problems that exist, and the hopes embodied in Afeica Rising become reality. Do keep on the excellent work you and your collegues carrt out and hope for a better future for all.

John Lupien

Subject: Re: PUBLISHED - AJFAND Volume 24 No. 7 (2024)
Date: Sat, 27 Jul 2024 17:41:53 +0000 (UTC)
From: Kevin Obonyo
To: Michael Okumu
CC: Prof. Ruth Oniang'o, Emily AJFAND

Dear Editors,

I am thrilled to received your notification that the article entitled "Maternal nutrition knowledge and mothers ability to utilize mobile phone application for health information sharing at Kenyatta National Hospital, Nairobi City, Kenya" has been published. I extend my heartfelt thanks to the reviewers and editorial team for the hard work and support throughout the publication process. I truly appreciate the opportunity to contribute to AJFAND platform for my research.

Best regards.

Kevin Obonyo

From: Kitajima, Harue
Sent: Monday, April 8, 2024 5:02 AM
To: Michael Okumu
Cc: Prof. Ruth Oniang'o; Emily AJFAND; Kitajima, Harue
Subject: RE: [External email]Re: PUBLISHED - AJFAND Volume 24 No. 3 (2024)

Dear Mr. Michael Okumu, Technical Manager, AJFAND

Good morning.
Thank you very much for informing me that the paper has been published on the following AJFAND’s web page.
Since submitting the paper, I would like to thank you for your tremendous support in formatting the paper and conducting the peer review process.
With the cooperation of SAA, I am once again pleased to submit this paper to AJFAND on the SHEP approach, which JICA has been promoting in Africa for more than 15 years.
I sincerely hope that AJFAND will continue to contribute to the development of research in the field of agriculture and rural development in the African region.
Thank you very much.
Regards,

*****************************************************************
北島　暖恵／Ms. Harue KITAJIMA（E-mail: Kitajima.Harue@jica.go.jp）
国際協力専門員（農業・農村開発／農業普及）
独立行政法人　国際協力機構（JICA） 経済開発部
住所：〒102-8012　東京都千代田区二番町5-25　二番町センタービル4階
URL: https://www.jica.go.jp/ （JICAサイト）
Senior Advisor (Agriculture and Rural Development/Agricultural Extension)
Economic Development Department, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)
Address: Nibancho Center Building 4F, 5-25, Niban-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, 102-8012, JAPAN
URL: https://www.jica.go.jp/ (JICA Website)

Subject: Acknowledgments_Happy New Year
Date: Tue, 16 Jan 2024 16:37:38 +0000 (UTC)
From: Bondoc Ionel
To: Hon. Prof. Ruth Oniang'o, Emmily AJFAND, Michael Okumu

Dear Prof. Ruth ONIANG'O,
Dear Emmily KAVEZA, Editorial Assistant,
Dear Colleagues, AJFAND,

Thank you for your message, your invitation, and best wishes.
During the last year, the journal registered a beautiful evolution, which is mainly due to your contribution.
This is the main reason why I like to thank you once again for your initiatives and support.
I wish you a Prosperous New Year with excellent health and remarkable professional achievements!

With gratitude and reverence,
Ionel BONDOC,
International Editor and Reviewer,
European Commission Expert

ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5958-7649

From: Arthur Kwena
Sent: Friday, October 6, 2023 12:58 PM
To: Prof. Ruth Oniang'o
Subject: Gratitude

Hello Prof.
May I take this opportunity to sincerely thank you for supporting me in my academic journey to where I have reached. I was promoted to full Professor on 26th Sept., 2023 and I owe my gratitude to you among others including my immediate family.
May God continue granting you blessings too in your current endeavours.

--
Prof. Arthur Kwena, PhD
Professor of Medical Biochemistry,
Associate Dean, School of Medicine,
College of Health Sciences,
Moi University,
P.O.Box 4606-30100, Eldoret, Kenya
e-mail: akwena@mu.ac.ke
e-mail: arthurkwena@gmail.com

From: James Kibugu
Sent: Thursday, July 27, 2023 12:42 PM
To: Prof. Ruth Oniang'o
Re: Re: Announcing AJFAND Volume 23 No. 7 (2023)
Dear Prof,
Congratulations for this new issue of AJFAND. The editor's note on plagiarism is captivating. Now the AI language models is a challenge. But they can give false info and they acknowledge this. I asked one to write something about me and what I got was fiction. In other words, they cannot work independently without human intervention as of now. However, these models are still under training and are likely to improve their accuracy. Other than plagiarism issues, AI technology is one threat that may wipe out mankind.
Regards
James Kibugu

From: Tchanile Adam
Sent: Mon, 18 Oct 2021 19:04:17
To: Ajfand Info
Re: THANKS
Dear Professor,
It is a great joy for me to send you this note thanking you for my recognition as one of the reviewers of AJFAD articles.
May the journal grow even more so that Science may prosper.
Thank you so much.
I greet all AJFAND members
DR. TCHANILEY Larounga
Lome, Togo

From: Omondi, Bonaventure Aman
Sent: Monday, October 11, 2021 1:23 PM
To: Prof. Ruth Oniang'o ; AJFAND
Re: AJFAND Reviewer Certificate
Greetings Prof.,
Congratulations on attaining the 20th Anniversary, for building a solid basis for Science in Africa.
I must thank you most sincerely for thinking about our contribution, as reviewers, during this important occasion. This is truly most appreciated. I am touched by this expression of the human side of Science. I have been a reviewer for different journals and institutions since 2002 and few ever returned to appreciate the partnership.
I too appreciate our association with AJFAND. Reviewing manuscripts gives one an easy opportunity to read what others are doing and to learn from their strengths and weaknesses. Any improvement from my comments is only a bonus.
May you keep going and building science for our well being.
Kind regards,
Aman
(Alliance of Bioversity and CIAT)

From: Solomon Akinremi MAKANJUOLA
Sent: Monday, September 27, 2021 10:39 AM
To: Michael Okumu
Cc: Prof Ruth K. Oniango; Emily AJFAND Re: Article No. 19955
Dear Michael,
Let me also congratulate Prof and the entire team of AJFAND on the 20th anniversary of the journal. It has been a pleasure to be associated with the journal after my meeting with Prof in Montreal in 2014. Wishing the journal more wins!!!
Sincerely,
Solomon Akinremi MAKANJUOLA Ph.D

From: Monica Akokuwebe
Sent: Thu, 2 Sep 2021 16:53:48
To: Michael Okumu
Re: PUBLISHED - AJFAND Volume 21 No. 7 (2021)
Dear Okumu, Thank you for the information. I am so happy....I just feel to send drinks and foods for this celebration....its been a long journey since 2019 to 2021.....grateful to God.
I want to use this medium to thank Prof and all the Ajand team as well as all the reviewers who made this manuscript to come to reality as a publication in highly esteemed AJAND journal.
Thank you all once again.
Best regards,
Monica

From: Chinedu Mba
Sent: Thu, 2 Sep 2021 16:53:57
To: Michael Okumu
Re: PUBLISHED - AJFAND Volume 21 No. 7 (2021)
Good evening Micheal from Nigeria. My sincere appreciation goes to the AJFAND team that made this journey a success. Kudos to all of you. You guys are wonderful. I wish to honestly appreciate the Editor-in Chief, she is realy a role model. Please extend my regards to her and Emily. It is really a pleasure working with you guys.
Best regards.
Chinedu Mba.

From: Charlotte Serrem
Sent: Saturday, May 1, 2021 10:53 PM
To: Prof Ruth K. Oniango
Re: AJFAND Reviewer Certificate
Dear Prof.
Thank you so much for this reviewer certificate. It is indeed appreciated. Congratulations too for the hard work you have put in, to start and grow AJFAND to the prestigious journal it is today. Coming from Africa, and becoming a Q-RATED journal required commitment, dedication, and enforcing high publication standards, and you have done it. We are proud of you and look forward to seeing the journal grow even further.
Thanks again
Best Regards
Charlotte

From: Joseph Allotey
Sent: Tuesday, April 27, 2021 9:33 PM
To: Prof Ruth K. Oniango
Subject: Re: AJFAND@20 - April 2021 Edition
CONGRATULATIONS!! Hon. Prof. Oniang'o for the April 2021 Editon on AJFAND@20. Indeed we are all very proud of our distinguished and visionary Founder and Editor-in-Chief of AJFAND. May you continue with the EXCELLENT WORK.
Prof. Joseph Allotey

From: Marilyn Jalloh
Sent: Monday, April 26, 2021 4:11 PM
To: Prof Ruth K. Oniango
Subject: Re: AJFAND@20 - April 2021 Edition
Good Morning All,
Thanks for sending the AJFAND journal commemorating its 20th year anniversary, i want to join others, my family, Sierra Leone Women Farmer's Forum to congratulate Prof. Ruth Oniango for her hard work,dedication and inspiration to enable the whole world benefit in diverse ways of 20 years contributing to this African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development (AJFAND) &Founder, Rural Outreach Program (ROP) Africa.
Congratulations Ma, you are indeed a mentor, precious women, a role model, a virtuous woman, outstanding educationist of the highest standards. May God continue to give you the strength and keep in all your endeavors.
Thanks
Your Friend and Your Admirer
Hon. Rev. Marilyn M. Conteh -Jalloh
Former Deputy Minister
Sierra Leone

From: Zakheleni Dube
Sent: Wednesday, April 21, 2021 4:18 PM
To: Prof Ruth K. Oniango
Subject: Re: AJFAND@20 - April 2021 Edition
Dear Science colleagues,
Congratulations to the AJFAND and everyone associated with it for such a milestone. You are truly our African pride. Wishing you many more years of high-quality publications as your shape the African scientific landscape. Let your fingerprints continue to touch in the development of the mother continent.
Kind regards
Zakheleni

From: Lelisa Daba
Sent: Thursday, April 22, 2021 5:45 PM
To: Prof Ruth K. Oniango
Subject: Re: AJFAND@20 - April 2021 Edition
I would like to say Congratulation for all management and editorial staff of AJFAND@20 for your 20 years successful achievement work. Again I wish you more and more achievements in the future of your journey.
With best regards
Lelisa Daba

From: Alan Adams
Sent: Monday, September 14, 2020 6:46 PM
To: Prof Ruth K. Oniango
Subject: Re: Demand for healthy diets
Dear Ruth K. Oniang'o
I thoroughly enjoyed your editorial with your news and insights. I follow ag2nut looking for encouraging news and ideas. My work is in South America. The name of our group is La Asociación de Productores de Semillas y Alimentos Nutricionales Andinos Mushuk Yuyay, Cañar-Ecuador. With the onset of the pandemic, the people of the local Andean communities became aware that the best defense against disease is a healthy, locally sourced, indigenous diet. The demand for these products rose sharply. That was good for local health and for our association. However, the processing plant needed protective equipment and disinfectants to meet requirements to safely present the products for the local market, and they needed cash to buy crops directly from the farmers at a fair price. Fortunately, we were able to find funds for sanitation equipment and part of the cash needed to continue operation. In this way, we were able to take advantage of the need to fortify the health of the local population and to support the farmers at the same time.
I am attaching a photo of our administrator, Nicolás Pichazaca, in his protective gear so he can continue working.
Sincerely,
Alan Adams
Asesor, Mushuk Yuyay

From: Joseph Allotey
Sent: Friday, September 11, 2020 5:12 AM
To: Prof Ruth K. Oniango
Subject: Re: PUBLISHED - AJFAND Volume 20 No. 5 (2020)
Congratulations Hon. Prof. Oniang'o for excellence. We appreciate your dedication, insight and motivation for scientists world wide. KEEP ON WITH THE OUTSTANDING WORK OVER THE YEARS. It has been a very great achievement thlese 20 years of scientific output from your reputable journal, AJFAND.

From: Prakash Vish
Sent: Thu, 10 Sep 2020 14:22:30 +0530
To: Ruth Oniango and Michael Okumu
Subject: Re: PUBLISHED - AJFAND Volume 20 No. 5 (2020)
Dear Ruth Oniango and Michael Okumu
I Congratulate in Placing the Guest Editorial in this Volume and is Timely.
I congratulate Hon Dr. Ruth Oniango and You to make the article reach its destination in a couple of days and I hope the readership gets into thinking Process of uniting together to Fight Hunger and Poverty with affordable Food and Nutrition Technologies and the Availability of Food to the Unreachable.
Thanks, Ruth, if not for your Motivation I would not have penned down this article! Your request made me think differently and new thoughts surged in and wrote it down to capture. I am also happy that AJFAND is the right place for it. Proud of this Journal which you are Publishing volume after volume with so much dedication. I adore your commitment, Ruth.
Once again Thanks. Stay safe, Stay Fit, and Stay Healthy in these times of Pandemic.
Warm regards
Vish Prakash

From: John R. Lupien
Sent: Tuesday, May 12, 2020 11:24 PM
To: Prof Ruth K. Oniango
Subject: Re: Announcing AJFAND Volume 20 No. 3 (2020)
Dear Ruth
Thanks for a very good issue of AJFAND, and for the poem from Selam and your Editor's Note. The poem is excellent in showing the concern and worry by a young person, and your Note makes clear the many problems the virus bring to Africa which already has this and many more problems that need addressing in a positive way. Congratulations to you and your staff on keeping up the good work with AJFAND and ROP.
With best wishes, John

From: Des Cohen
Sent: Tuesday, March 31, 2020 12:17 PM
To: Prof Ruth K. Oniango
Subject: Re: Announcing AJFAND Volume 20 No. 2 (2020)
Dear Ruth
Just read your message and wanted to say how much I agree with it. We are staying indoors and self isolating and its no great hardship for those with economic and social support available. So we feel for those who have no job and no income and for health service workers who are at enhanced risk. We are indeed all in this together and need to do whatever we can to help those less fortunate than ourselves. One of the surprises here in Brighton [UK] has been the readiness of neighbours to help with shopping and other tasks - quite unexpected but welcome.
Stay safe and our best wishes for the future,
Des and Sheila Cohen

From: "Francois Nzabuhorahoza" <nzabufd@yahoo.fr>
To: "Hon. Prof. Ruth Oniang'o" <oniango@iconnect.co.ke>
Sent: 07/07/2013 16:00:09
Subject: Thanks to Our Almighty God!
As member of AJFAND, I am humbly beseech Almighty God to help Nelson Mandela to recover in order to celebrate his joyful anniversary with entire World. Many Thanks to OUR LORD Jesus Chist.
Regards.
Prof. Dr. Eng. Francis Dominicus Nzabuheraheza, (MSc. and PhD)
Instructor/Enseignant, Botanic Garden and Biodiversity Conservation Project Coordinator
At INES-Ruhengeri, Senior Researcher, and MINEDUC Consultant via UNESCO

From: "Vital Kwizera" <kuriverite@yahoo.fr>
To: "oniango@iconnect.co.ke" <oniango@iconnect.co.ke>
Sent: 10/03/2013 18:10:53
Subject: Greetings and congratulations
Dear mum,
I am happy to contact you now.
I am Burundian, I live Burundi. I have studied agriculture at university of Burundi, I am finishing my Ir. degree (equivalent to BSc in Agrigriculture). During my curriculum, I have loved human nutrition and I have done my thesis on this field: nutrition.
During my researches, I have downloaded many articles on AJFAND that I have used in references. I am very thankful on your journal.
Let me say THANK YOU and CONGRATULATIONS.
My hearty greetings to all AJFAND team.
Best regards
Yours faithfully
Vital KWIZERA, agriculture engeneer
Burundi.

From: "Geofrey Okoboi, PhD" <okoboi@eprc.or.ug>
To: "Hon. Prof. Ruth Oniang'o" <oniango@iconnect.co.ke>
Cc: "Michael Okumu" <okumuajfand@gmail.com>; "Emily AJFAND" <emilyajfand@gmail.com>
Sent: 31/01/2013 18:11:20
Subject: Re: Announcing AJFAND Volume 13 No. 1 (2013)
Dear Prof. Oniang'o,
I notice that you have changed the background/cover of the journal. I congratulate entire team of AJFAND on the new cover -which to me is more appealing.
Warm regards from Uganda.

Subject: Re: Final proof - Article no. 4285
Date: Tue, 29 Jan 2013 10:31:50 +0000
From: mojisolaoyarekua@yahoo.com
Reply-To: mojisolaoyarekua@yahoo.com
To: AJFAND mailto:info@ajfand.net
Dear Technical Manager: Michael Okumu,
Greetings. This is to confirm that I am satisfied with the final proof of my paper- Article No: 4285. I must say I have gained a lot in scientific writing due to the rigorous and detail reviews of my paper. Thank you very much.
Dr M.A Oyarekua
Sent from my BlackBerry wireless device from MTN

Subject: Re: Announcing AJFAND Volume 10 No. 3 (2010)
Date: Tue, 23 Oct 2012 16:28:21 +0300
From: Oniango <oniango@iconnect.co.ke>
To: Basu, Saikat <saikat.basu@uleth.ca>

Cheers..great!!
Great Saikat..I am happy and thank you so much for your support!

-- Original message --
From: "Basu, Saikat" <saikat.basu@uleth.ca>
To: "Hon. Prof. Ruth Oniang'o" <oniango@iconnect.co.ke>
Date: Tuesday 23 October 2012 11:44:58
Subject: Re: Announcing AJFAND Volume 10 No. 3 (2010)

> Dear Prof Ruth
> Hope you are doing great. Just wanted to share that I have recently received a peer-review position with >American Botanical Soc. My special issue work with your journal helped me a lot for my selection.
> I appreciate your support so much for that.
> Best regards
> Saikat..

From: Olapade Olufemi [fem66@hotmail.com]
To: Hon. Prof. Ruth Oniang'o [oniango@iconnect.co.ke]
Sent: Tue, 31 Jul 2012 23:13
Subject: Re: Published - Volume 12 No. 5 (2012)

What a day! Unprepared for yet by premonition of a good thing to happen I got myself a Don Simon fruit wine and guess what I am celebrating. We learnt a lot and lots of patience as well. In all we say thank you. More grace to the indefatigable Professor and to the retinue of her eagle eye crew of reviewers and staff.

Greetings from Njala University, Njala Campus Sierra Leone.

Kind regards.

Olapade Oluwafemi Julius (PhD)
Sub-regional Coordinator (Sustainable Integrated aquaculture - CORAF/WECARD)
Njala University, Njala Campus
Sierra Leone

From: Peter Kamau Gichovi [gpeterkamau@yahoo.com]
To: Hon. Prof. Ruth Oniang'o [oniango@iconnect.co.ke]
Sent: 2/2/2012 12:04:39 PM
Subject: THANKS
Prof,
I wish to express my gratitude for your continued support since the year 2010. Year 2011 was a tough one but thanks to you and AJFAND in general for the wonderful opportunity to not only earn a living but also learn of the various issues surrounding cultivation and/or production of indigenous African foods: potential and challenges for value addition, general awareness of these foods, their nutritional importance, market aspects as well as policy issues.
The latest assignment-Novus International data collection was most interesting as I had the opportunity to go through all the manuscripts published by AJFAND from Volume 1 through to 11. I therefore had a better grasp of issues relating to food, agriculture, nutrition and development across Africa and some other countries. This kept me in the right track in regards to career development and the search for knowledge.
Basing on the information from these studies, it appears that in Africa we have vast food resources but lack appropriate technology or willpower  to process(add value), distribute, market and the right leadership to champion the tapping of these food resources on a large scale basis, to curb the long-lasted problem of food insecurity.. Luckily, we already have basic  information regarding Africa's potential courtesy of AJFAND and like groups, hence action at this stage is paramount. 
I therefore say THANK YOU for these invaluable gestures. Your contribution to both my career and personal growth is immense. Thanks also to Mr. Okumu among others who have been of great help all along. Finally, I pray that AJFAND fairs on well and of-course continue to be of great impact to communities particularity in Africa. Hoping that I will continue to be help to AJFAND in one way or the other whenever need be.
Regards, 
Peter Kamau Gichovi,
Email: gpeterkamau@yahoo.com/penvest.cl@gmail.com