Education Cabinet Secretary (CS) Ezekiel Machogu has hailed Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) for providing a platform to showcase strides in learning, research, innovations, and partnerships.
He noted that the institution has offered its stakeholders “a unique opportunity to engage with the faculty, students, innovators, and researchers to acquaint themselves with a diverse range of products and services offered by the university.”
Machogu spoke to the university community, high school students, and industry players in a speech read on his behalf by Principal Secretary, State Department for Higher Education and Research, Dr. Beatrice Inyangala, during the 12th JKUAT Open Day held at the institution on September 8, 2023.
The CS said the Open Day offers a window into the university’s cutting-edge facilities dedicated to training, research, and innovation, and a chance to forge deeper connections with the university and explore collaboration.
Noting that such partnerships will contribute to national goals and promises outlined in the current government’s manifesto.
Machogu said that he was impressed by the spectrum of research undertaken by JKUAT researchers in areas such as agriculture and food security, human and animal health, environmental conservation, eco-friendly and affordable construction materials, and applications in information technology among others.
He appreciated the varsity Council and Management for steering the institution in the right direction through training across various disciplines such as science, agriculture, engineering, ICT, health, and social sciences.
The CS challenged other universities to emulate JKUAT by fostering an environment conducive to mentorship and providing the essential resources and facilities to nurture project ideas into impactful realities.
JKUAT Vice Chancellor (VC) Prof. Victoria Wambui Ngumi said that the Open Day is a gateway to providing prospective students with insights, skills, and knowledge essential for their holistic growth and progress at the individual, communal, and national level.
“The tapestry of Vision 2030 is woven with threads of Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) alongside educational development. The Government of the day has placed emphasis on skills up-scaling as a foundation for sustainable economic transformation,” she stated.
The VC advised high school students to make JKUAT the locus of their academic journey and the launchpad of their career aspirations.
The annual event themed ‘Promoting Climate Smart Agriculture and Trade Initiatives for Sustainable Economic Growth’ was also graced by PS for Shipping and Maritime Affairs Shadrack Mwadime and members of the JKUAT Council led by the Ag. Chair Hassan Abdi Mohammed, Prof. John Ndiritu, Joel K. Yego, Prof. Angelina Nduku Kioko and Mrs. Velma Mudanyi.
PS Mwadime called on academics to prioritize sustainability teaching, research, and innovation as a way of addressing the harmful effects of climate change.
He encouraged universities to take advantage of the existing funding opportunities to engage in research and technology transfer to help communities cope with the effects of climate change.
The PS noted that JKUAT had honed a number of innovations that could be tapped to provide sustainability support in food security, health, housing, and technology among others.
By Patrick Amunavi
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