Natasha Wright Wins 2025 IonE Impact Goal Grant
Professor Natasha Wright is leading one of 12 new projects funded by the Institute on the Environment’s (IonE) 2025 Impact Goal Grants.
The IonE Impact Goal Grant program supports interdisciplinary teams advancing bold solutions to the world's most pressing environmental challenges. Since its launch in 2019, the program has awarded over $2.2 million to projects that blend research, community engagement, and sustainability impact. In 2025, nearly $1.9 million was distributed to 12 new efforts spanning food systems, clean energy, climate resilience, and beyond.
Project: From Kenya to Minnesota—Advancing Food Sovereignty Through Sustainable Value‑Addition
Domain: Food systems
Each year, over 13% of food grown for human consumption is lost after harvest. In response, this project centers on value-added agriculture—specifically, greenhouse-based drying systems that help farmers preserve crops and boost their income.
Working alongside Kenyan smallholder farmers, Wright’s team aims to optimize greenhouse dryers already in use, with the goal of reducing post-harvest losses by up to 50%. In parallel, the team is exploring the use of greenhouse drying among Minnesota farmers looking to maximize productivity during high-heat seasons when conventional greenhouse growing is limited.
Principal Investigator: Prof. Natasha Wright, Richard and Barbara Nelson Assistant Professor, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
Co-Investigator: Greg Schweser, Regional Sustainable Development Partnerships, University of Minnesota Extension
Team:
- Brenda Kimalel and Kennedy Kwithya Munyoki, Vine Fruits and Vegetables
- Dr. Florence Gatwiri Kiburi, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT)
- Jackis Aukah, Kenya Industrial Research and Development Institute (KIRDI)
- Isaiah Ouma Omolo, African Centre for Technology Studies (ACTS)
- Daniel Musyoka, African Centre for Technology Studies (ACTS)
- Jennifer Hoody, PhD student, Mechanical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
- Vasanth Balamurugan, MS Student, Mechanical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN