Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) has initiated a strategic partnership with the African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC) aimed at strengthening its research capacity, enhancing grant management, and elevating the University’s profile in competitive grant writing.
The partnership was pursued through JKUAT’s Directorate of Grants, led by Prof. Naomi Maina, who headed the University delegation to APHRC headquarters on Wednesday, December 3 2025.
The delegation was received by Deputy Executive Director, Dr. Joseph Gichuru Wang’ombe, who described JKUAT as a leading force in Kenya’s research landscape.
“JKUAT’s recent Gold Tier Good Financial Grant Practice certification demonstrates its commitment to research excellence and positions the University as a strong partner for impactful collaborations,” Dr. Gichuru said.
Dr. Gichuru further emphasized that future partnerships will prioritize institutions that have demonstrated excellence in financial grant management, noting that APHRC will hold potential collaborators in high regard only after they have achieved recognized certifications.
During the meeting, APHRC experts shared presentations on key research and capacity-building areas, including grant acquisition and management, biomedical sciences, zoonosis and One-Health, environmental health and disease control, climate change, agroforestry, water and environmental management, ICT, data science, artificial intelligence (AI), food and nutrition, and socio-economic development programs.
Both institutions also discussed joint supervision of postgraduate students, providing emerging researchers with mentorship and practical research experience.
Speaking during the meeting, Prof. Naomi Maina noted that JKUAT was keen to elevate its grant profile to compete at the level of leading research institutions such as APHRC.
“This partnership will strengthen our research capabilities, enhance grant acquisition skills, and provide our students with hands-on experience in high-impact projects. We are focused on building a grant-writing framework that positions JKUAT to secure larger, more competitive funding,” said Prof. Naomi.
The JKUAT delegation also shared the University’s ongoing initiatives and research priorities, emphasizing its commitment to aligning academic programs with national and regional development goals.
Both institutions agreed to finalize a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to formalize the collaboration and define specific areas for joint action.
The JKUAT delegation also comprised Dr. Peter Kahenya (Director, Research & Innovation), Dr. Cecilia Mweu (Director, Institute for Biotechnology Research), Prof. James Messo (Department of Soil, Water and Environmental Engineering), Dr. Maina Ngotho (School of Natural Resources and Animal Sciences), Dr. Susan Mambo (School of Public Health), Dr. Isaac Oteyo (School of Computing and Information Technology), and Ms. Catherine Wangechi (Senior Administrator, Grants Management).
