"Ever since I was an adolescent I’ve always been interested in African countries and their immense potential. During the post-graduate - innovative entrepreneurship - at the Catholic University of Leuven I got the opportunity to explore my interest and run an internship at Close the Gap. I was aspired to become a part of this team because Close the Gap empowers Africa by bridging the digital divide and enables communities to capitalize on the vast opportunities of IT.

I was given the challenging assignment to look into the agricultural value chain to determine whether or not there is a potential for Close the Gap to add value to this emerging, but struggling industry. A combination of desk research and field research gave me a better understanding of the challenges that rural small-scale farmers face and an insight into the appropriate existing ICT interventions. For this field research I was sent to Nairobi, Kenya for six weeks to interact with rural farmer cooperatives, high-end ICT solution providers, universities, established companies and several NGOs to gather profound insights.

So far it has been an inspiring experience where I learned a lot about myself and AgriTech in Kenya. I also find great pleasure in representing Close the Gap and looking for potential opportunities and partnerships. I'm grateful for the opportunity and responsibility I was given and hope that the results of the research are well-received."

Alec Marquenie, Project Assistent Intern