Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) has been designated as the regional hub for research on food value chains under the Africa–Japan Initiative for Science, Technology and Innovation Partnership (AJ-INSPIRE), a multilateral programme linking African universities with Japanese institutions to foster joint research, student mobility, and industrial collaboration.
The announcement was delivered on October 29, 2025 by Dr. Okano Takasei, Senior Advisor, Human Development Department, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) during the 5th Joint Coordination Committee (JCC) meeting of the AFRICA-ai-JAPAN Project at JKUAT.
Dr. Okano revealed that other thematic hubs within AJ-INSPIRE include the Egypt–Japan University of Science and Technology (E-JUST), which will spearhead energy-related research, and Stellenbosch University in South Africa, which will lead studies on climate change and water systems.
The programme seeks to advance international brain circulation, a two-way exchange of researchers and students between Africa and Japan aimed at accelerating innovation-driven development.
Speaking during the session, Dr. James Micah Onsando, Chair of the JKUAT Council, applauded the university’s researchers for their outstanding output and growing impact in the innovation ecosystem. He commended their role in positioning JKUAT as a continental leader in science-driven development.
Dr. Onsando urged researchers to focus on innovations that transform communities, create livelihoods, and build industries grounded in knowledge. He further underscored the need for equitable benefit-sharing frameworks to ensure that university innovations generate tangible value for both researchers and investors.
He assured researchers of the Council’s continued support, noting that the university’s policy environment will continue to champion innovation, partnerships, and accountability.
The Vice Chancellor, Prof. Victoria Wambui Ngumi, expressed her delight at JKUAT’s recognition as a regional hub, describing it as a reflection of the university’s consistent investment in research and collaboration. She said JKUAT fully embraces the new direction set by AJ-INSPIRE, noting that it aligns with the institution’s vision of driving innovation for sustainable development.
Prof. Ngumi thanked JICA, the Embassy of Japan, and the Ministry of Education for their continued support to JKUAT’s research agenda. She expressed pride in the university’s growing pool of top-tier researchers and assured partners of her administration’s full support in advancing the mission of AJ-INSPIRE.
The Vice Chancellor was also full of praise for Africa-ai-Japan Chief Advisor, Prof. Hiroshi Koaze, whom she lauded for his exemplary leadership in steering the project to success. She noted that his guidance and commitment had been instrumental in nurturing a culture of innovation, collaboration, and academic excellence at JKUAT.
On her part, Christine Minyuki, who represented Principal Secretary for Higher Education, Dr. Beatrice Inyangala, commended the AFRICA-ai-JAPAN partnership for its role in reshaping Kenya’s higher education landscape through science, technology, and innovation.
“This project has redefined higher education in Kenya, not as an ivory tower, but as a living engine of transformation where innovation meets impact. Together with Japan, we are scripting Africa’s renaissance, one partnership at a time,” she said.
She noted that initiatives like AJ-INSPIRE have positioned Kenya as a regional hub for innovation and knowledge exchange.
By linking research to real community needs, Ms Minyuki noted that the partnership continues to bridge academia, industry, and policy turning higher education into a driver of economic and social transformation.
