Florent Lelenda Kebalo Bio

Where do you call home? Can you describe it?

I was born in Togo from Togolese parents. There, I grew up and studied until I got my bachelor’s degree before I moved to Turkey and then now France. The most significant memories are naturally in Togo, which I call home. It is a small country of 56,785 km² located in West Africa, with an estimated population of roughly 8.6 million. It is bordered by Burkina Faso, Ghana, Benin, and the Gulf of Guinea. The official language is French. The two national languages are Ewe and Kabiyè, which I can both speak.

The climate of Togo is of the tropical type. It comprises mainly two seasons: a dry season and a rainy season. Togo has a great diversity of landscapes: a sandy coast lined with coconut trees in the south, hills, green valleys,  small mountains in the center of the country, arid plains, and extensive savannahs planted with baobabs in the north of the country.

Agriculture represents more than 40% of the Togolese GDP and employs nearly 65% of its active population. Togo exports cocoa, coffee, cotton, and lately, organic soybeans. For two consecutive times, with 51,000 tonnes of organic soybeans exported to the Schengen area, Togo was the leading exporter to Europe, according to the 2020 report of the Commission of the European Union (EU). Its economy also relies on the export of phosphate. It is noteworthy that the port of Lomé (capital of Togo) has the advantage of being the only deep-water port in the sub-region.

Togolese cuisine is highly varied and rich in flavor. This variety stems from cultural and ethnic diversity. The use of spices is prevalent. You can find dishes like Akoumé, a paste made from different cereals, Fufu, a pounded cooked yams or cassava (Manihot esculenta) or taro (Colocasia esculenta), Ayimolou, a dish consisting of rice and beans. Various sauces often accompany these dishes. The traditional Togolese drinks are sodabi (liqueur obtained after distillation of palm wine) and tchoukoutchou (a fermented drink made from millet), which I have missed a lot.

32.9% of population practice traditional African religions. The others are Catholicism (26.8%), Islam (18.5%) and Protestantism (15.6%).Football? Togo is proud of  "Emmanuel Adebayor," a professional football player and African gold ball in 2008. He was one of the leading players in the qualification of Togo for the first time in the final phase of the World Cup.In Togo, traditional music is intrinsically linked to traditional dances, reflecting the values, experiences, and practices of the different ethnic groups. In the region where I come from, “Evala” is one of the big festivals. It is a form of wrestling that aims to overthrow one's opponent.That is it! Are you ready? Togo awaits you with its hospitality! 

What are some of your personal interests and hobbies?

I am an amiable person and like meeting new people and new places. In general, I like music and singing in the choir. I used to sing bass voice for over ten years, and I would say it's now been an integral part of my life. Also, I like taking leadership in different activities. It is materialized by the fact that I was representative of students several times, whether it is in college, high school, or university. I was also the president of the Togolese students when I was studying in Turkey. I like to make jokes, even if they are not always funny. Concerning sport, I have explored many games such as basketball, volleyball, and ping-pong. Still, it is in football that I enjoyed playing as a defender, but I often got hurt. I remember my mother's words once she massaged my foot: "I sent you to school for study, not to bring me injuries all the time". Haha. Love you, mum! 

What is your biggest personal achievement so far?

Very often, I give myself goals that I manage to achieve no matter the difficulties encountered. So far, I have had many achievements that I am proud of. However, if I were to talk about the biggest one, I would say my acceptance for the Ph.D. position I am currently doing. This is because I was aware of the competitiveness of the Marie-Curie program. After my selection, I felt I‘ve taken a significant step toward my planned career. I can still remember my explosion of joy at the bus station when I got the positive result. 

What is the title of your PhD project? Can you explain it to a non-academic?

My PhD topic is "Modelling the effects of bio-based fertilisers (BBF) on productivity and soil/air/water quality of different cropping systems including the market garden in peri-urban agriculture”. High quantities of organic wastes are produced in urban areas. Instead of being incinerated or dumped, they can be used for food production, particularly vegetables in peri-urban agriculture. Doing so contributes to solving the problem of waste management and the replacement of the mineral fertilizer that are high energy consuming and relying on non-renewable resources. This implies that there will be a reduction in the cost allocated to mineral fertilizers. Also, organic fertilizers are essential for organic farming. However, the use of these BBFs in market gardening requires a better understanding of their effects on productivity, human health, and the environmental impacts they may imply. This is what I have been working on since the start of my thesis.

What drives your interest in bio-based fertilisers?

When I joined the School of agriculture in Togo, my interest was mainly focused on providing solutions to food shortages encountered in my country. I quickly realized that recycling waste in agriculture is an exciting way to produce food sustainably. In addition, in my country, particularly, it can help solve the problems related to the cost of fertilizers that most farmers fail to afford. And what could be more interesting than transforming our waste into food? Let's make a giant step toward circularity!

Describe your experience with the FertiCycle ITN so far?

I did not know about the Marie-Curie program before coming across the PhD offer published by the Ferticycle program in which I am currently involved. After being selected, I discovered the activities of the ferticycle program that I found excellent. At the start of the PhD, The covid crisis could not, unfortunately, allow us to follow the initial plan, including the kickoff meeting that could not be held physically. However, I can bear witness of the great feeling of having met before most of my colleagues during the first physical meeting at Copenhagen University. This was probably due to the different interactive activities led by the project staff during our online meetings. What I can say right now is that I am fortunate to be in this Ferticycle program. Not only do I have the opportunity to work on BBFs, I am grateful to be among a network of respectful, motivated, and nice PhD students with whom we learn and encourage each other. I also liked the trainings to help us develop our soft skills. I cannot leave behind the opportunity of having a supportive group of supervisors and project management board.  

What would you say are the benefits of the Marie Sklodowska-Curie Doctoral Fellowship?

The network! Yes, the network! This program allows me to expand my network present in various locations. This is definitely, an important asset for my future adventures. The other point I will mention is the soft skills included in the training plan that I think will positively impact our career. Beyond all these, the working conditions and the support resources given by this fellowship are appreciable and so motivating!

How has the experience traveling abroad for this program been for you?

Before France, I had already had the opportunity to live three years in Turkey. That is where I got used to being far away from my family and close friends. In France, I have been experiencing great events. I finally discovered the Eiffel Tower, a monument I wished to visit long ago. I also like the time I have at ECOSYS-INRAE, the host institution where I am currently doing my thesis. I am part of a dynamic team that is ready to provide answers to any concerns. One funny point is the nickname my office colleague gave me relating to the tomato experiment I did: Tomatogo. Just because I am from Togo, and I produced tomatoes. I dare believe that this good atmosphere will last forever. 

Thank you for this opportunity.