Historical Background of SAJOREC
The idea of a Chinese-aided Sino-Africa Joint Research Center, where African and Chinese researchers would conduct joint research, was conceived during botanical research field treks that Prof. Robert W. Gituru of Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) and his Chinese research counterpart Prof. Wang Qing-Feng of Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences (WBGCAS) undertook in the Chinese central provinces of Hunan and Hubei in 1999. The idea of a Sino-Africa Joint Research Centre (SAJOREC) idea eventually grew into the SAJOREC initiative and brought together their respective institutions (WBG and JKUAT), National Academies of Science (CAS and KNAS) and eventually the Governments of their two countries (China and Kenya) culminating in a Chinese-aided government-to-government project that established the SAJOREC headquarters in Kenya (JKUAT). The SAJOREC initiative has taken root and continues to grow promoting and supporting China-Africa collaboration in scientific research and training both in Africa and in China.
The Directorate of Sino-Africa Biodiversity Research Conservation (SABREC) was established in JKUAT in September 2011, after a series of consultative meetings. The main purpose was to coordinate the collaboration between JKUAT and the Chinese side in the SAJOREC initiative. The directorate was later renamed as Sino-Africa Joint Research Centre (SAJOREC, JKUAT). The corresponding Sino-Africa Joint Research Centre, Chinese Academy of Sciences (SAJOREC, CAS) was established by the Chinese Academy of Sciences in China in 2013. The SAJOREC initiative primarily seeks to foster collaboration through learning, training and research.
An MOU between JKUAT and Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences (WBG, CAS), was signed in 2010, this being followed by development of a project proposal for establishment of a Research Centre (The Sino Africa Joint Research Centre) and a botanical Garden (the JKUAT Botanical Garden) in JKUAT main campus in Juja. The facility in JKUAT is the headquarters of the SAJOREC initiative and is located in the main campus in a 40-acres Botanical Garden (the JKUAT Botanical Garden). A 10-acres Modern Agriculture Demonstration Area attached to the SAJOREC facility was later established.
The proposal for establishment of the SAJOREC facility in JKUAT was presented for consideration for funding through the Ministry of Education and subsequently accepted for Chinese funding through the Ministry of Commerce of the Government of the People’s Republic of China as a government-to-government project between the Government of the Republic of Kenya and the Government of the People’s Republic of China. Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology and WBG Chinese Academy of Sciences are the implementing agencies on the Kenyan and Chinese sides respectively.
Preliminary and final designs for the project were developed by experts from China Urban Construction Design and Research Institute. The designs were subsequently approved by authorities in Kenya and the relevant permits including the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) permit were obtained paving way for the construction to start. The Shanghai Construction Group was competitively selected by the Chinese Government as the contractors for the project.
The ground breaking ceremony for the Sino Africa Joint Research facility in JKUAT was presided by H. E William Ruto on 4th December, 2014. A ceremony to mark the commencement of construction was presided by H.E. Liu Xianfa, Chinese Ambassador to Kenya on 29th May 2015. Construction was completed and a handing over certificate signed by the two sides in September, 2016. A handing over ceremony for the infrastructure was held on 26th September 2016 and the SAJOREC facility was eventually handed over to the Kenyan side on 18th December, 2022 in a ceremony presided by the Minister of Education of Kenya Hon. Amb. Amina Mohammed and the President of the Chinese Academy of Sciences Prof Bai Chun Li. The colourful ceremony was graced by the Vice Chancellor JKUAT Prof. Victoria Wambui Ngumi, and the Director General WBGCAS Prof. Wang Qing Feng.