Prof. Kumiko Sakamoto
Prof. Kumiko Sakamoto is a distinguished scholar whose work focuses on indigenous and wild foods, nutrition, rural livelihoods, child health, social development, and long-term Tanzania-focused academic collaboration.
Profile Summary
Prof. Kumiko Sakamoto is a Professor in the Faculty of International Studies at Utsunomiya University, Japan. Her academic background includes a PhD in International Relations from Waseda University, an MA in Economics from Waseda University, and a BA in Area Studies and International Relations from Tokyo University of Foreign Studies.
Her long-standing academic and professional engagement with Tanzania includes work on social development, poverty monitoring, rural livelihoods, food intake, health, women and children, indigenous foods, wild edible plants, and community-based development.
As a visiting professor hosted by the College of Agricultural Sciences and Food Technology, her expertise is particularly relevant to food systems, nutrition, indigenous food knowledge, agricultural livelihoods, community health, and sustainable development.
Profile at a Glance
Home Institution
Utsunomiya University, Japan.
Host Unit at UDSM
College of Agricultural Sciences and Food Technology.
Field of Expertise
Indigenous foods, wild edible plants, nutrition, social development, rural livelihoods and Tanzania studies.
Academic Background
Prof. Sakamoto obtained her PhD in International Relations from the Graduate School of Asia-Pacific Studies at Waseda University. She also holds an MA in Economics from Waseda University and a BA in Area Studies and International Relations from Tokyo University of Foreign Studies.
Her academic formation bridges international relations, economics, area studies, development studies, and social development, giving her research a strong interdisciplinary foundation.
Professional Experience
She has served at Utsunomiya University for many years, including as Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, Professor, and Councilor. Her earlier professional experience includes research and consultancy work with institutions such as Waseda University, Kyushu University, JICA, UNDP Tanzania, UNICEF Tanzania, and FASID.
Her professional work in Tanzania includes poverty monitoring systems, district profiles, community-based programming, development evaluation, and long-term field research.
Research and Academic Contribution
Wild and Indigenous Foods
Research on wild foods, indigenous foods, useful plants, edible plants, dietary patterns, and nutrition in Tanzania.
Nutrition and Child Health
Studies on food intake, child health, wild food use, dietary diversity, morbidity, and household wellbeing.
Social Development
Work on endogenous development, moral economy, poverty monitoring, livelihoods, gender, and rural communities.
Collaborative Publications with UDSM Scholars
Prof. Sakamoto has worked closely with scholars connected to the University of Dar es Salaam and Tanzanian research communities. These collaborations have produced important publications on indigenous foods, wild edible plants, nutrition, traditional medicine, useful plants, and social development in Tanzania.
The publications below demonstrate the strong academic connection between her research and UDSM’s expertise in food systems, agriculture, botany, nutrition, and Tanzania-focused scholarship.
Changing Dietary Patterns, Indigenous Foods, and Wild Foods
Editors: Kumiko Sakamoto, Lilian Daniel Kaale, Reiko Ohmori and Tamahi Kato.
This book examines changing food systems in Tanzania, with focus on wild foods, indigenous foods, health, wealth, and mutual relations.
View publication referenceField Guide to Edible Plants in Tanzania and Their Nutrition
Editors: Kumiko Sakamoto, Frank M. Mbago and Hayashi Masayuki.
The guide introduces wild edible plants in Tanzania, especially plants in Dodoma and Lindi, together with nutritional information and practical plant identification support.
View publication reference104 Plants for Spices, Fruits and Traditional Medicine in Zanzibar
Authors: Kumiko Sakamoto, Mmadi H. Shamata and Frank M. Mbago.
This publication introduces spices, fruits and traditional medicinal plants in Zanzibar, combining local knowledge with botanical expertise.
View publication referenceRelevance to UDSM and Academic Collaboration
As a visiting professor hosted by the College of Agricultural Sciences and Food Technology, Prof. Sakamoto’s expertise is highly relevant to food systems, nutrition, indigenous food knowledge, agricultural livelihoods, rural development, community health, and sustainable development.
Her engagement provides opportunities for collaboration in research, postgraduate mentorship, seminars, community-based studies, documentation of indigenous food systems, and interdisciplinary work connecting agriculture, nutrition, social development, and public health.
Her long-term Tanzania-focused scholarship also supports UDSM’s wider internationalization agenda by demonstrating sustained academic partnership, research co-production, and knowledge exchange between Tanzanian and Japanese scholars.
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