China’s Education Vice Minister Visits JKUAT - Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology

*Ms. Lin (right) is taken through one of the SAJOREC laboratories by Director, Prof. Qing-Feng Wang*

The Vice Minister and Secretary General, Ministry of Science and Technology of the People’s Republic of China Ms. Lin Xin on Monday July 22, visited Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology and held talks with Vice Chancellor Prof. Victoria Wambui Ngumi.

Lin lauded JKUAT for its visible contribution to China-Kenya scientific and technological cooperation through partnership with various Chinese universities. In 2011, JKUAT and Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences (WBG, CAS) signed an MOU on biodiversity conservation and research. This paved the way for a bilateral agreement between the governments of Kenya and China that led to the establishment of the Sino-African Joint Research Centre (SAJOREC) at JKUAT.

The official noted that China attaches great importance to international scientific cooperation; adding that her visit to Nairobi was aimed at implementing important consensus reached by President William Ruto and Chinese President Xi Jinping on promoting scientific and technological cooperation.

Ms. Lin extended an invitation to Prof. Ngumi to attend the second Belt and Road Conference on Scientific and Technological Cooperation to be held in 2025 in Beijing.

“I am deeply impressed by the learning environment and teaching facilities here at JKUAT,” Ms. Lin said.

On her part, Prof. Ngumi thanked the government of China for the steadfast support to JKUAT’s research facilities, noting that

*Ms. Lin (centre) waters a tree assisted by Dr. Gatama at SAJOREC*

SAJOREC had emerged as a key outlay of talent cultivation and technological research and innovation.

Prof. Ngumi added that many young scholars from JKUAT had received postgraduate training in Chinese universities – giving them opportunity to learn from Chinese experts across many fields.

“Many members of our faculty are increasingly embracing collaborative research with Chinese scientists and professors leading to very enriching outcomes,” Prof. Ngumi added.

Dr. Joseph Gatama from Kenya’s Ministry of Education who accompanied Ms. Lin to JKUAT noted that SAJOREC was playing an important role in fostering bilateral scientific exchanges between Kenya and China. He added that Kenya stands in a good position to spearhead targeted cooperation between China and Africa in the education, scientific and technological fields.

SAJOREC is home to a number of thematic laboratories namely: Plant Biosystematics and Conservation Laboratory; Cell and molecular Biology Laboratory; Water Resources Management Laboratory; Virus Detection and Diagnostic Laboratory; Nanotechnology and Bioinformatics Laboratory; Natural Products Development Laboratory and Animal Physiology Laboratory.