JKUAT to Spend SH26 Million On 17 Research Projects

Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture

Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture has committed sh 26 million for research and innovation.

The money will go towards supporting 17 research projects and also financing five students to develop key innovations in food security and ICT, the Vice-chancellor Prof Mabel Imbuga said.

She was speaking during the university's 21st graduation ceremony at Juja the main campus in which 2,407 graduands were conferred with various degrees, diplomas and certificates. The Chancellor Prof Francis Gichaga presided over the occasion.

Prof Imbuga said JKUAT jointly with the Chinese government was establishing a Sino-Africa biodiversity research centre. "The project which is as a result of a bilateral agreement between the governments of Kenya and China will lead to increased research and innovation in biodiversity conservation," she said.

Through the establishment of the Water Resource and Research Centre (WARREC), the university is also involved in research in fog harvesting for drinking water in arid and semi-arid regions.

"Pilot research work carried out in Ngong Hills has shown encouraging results in clean water harvesting that may be replicated in other dry areas," she added.

Prof Imbuga said among those who have graduated were 30 engineering students from the University of Namibia through JKUAT's mentoring program.

Prof Gichaga said the university is committed to the devolved system of governance and has developed a number of tailor-made programs to meet human capacity gaps created in the new structure.

"Already a number of elected civic leaders who undertook the county governance training program are serving in various counties. Other beneficiaries are also involved in the devolved administration," the Chancellor said.

Earlier, Prof Imbuga said the female PhD graduates grew to 45 per cent this year from 24 per cent previously and that currently the university had a foreign student population of 153.