The Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) has been selected as the regional hub for research on food value chains under the Africa-Japan Initiative for Science, Technology, and Innovation Partnership (AJ-INSPIRE).
This announcement was made on October 29, 2025, by Dr. Okano Takasei, Senior Advisor of the Human Development Department at the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). The multilateral program connects African universities with Japanese institutions to promote joint research, student mobility, and industrial collaboration.
The AJ-INSPIRE program aims to facilitate a two-way exchange of researchers and students between Africa and Japan, to accelerate innovation-driven development.
JKUAT Selected as Regional Hub for Research on Food Value Chains by Japan
Dr. James Micah Onsando, Chair of the JKUAT Council, praised the university’s researchers for their impressive contributions and growing influence in the innovative ecosystem.
He commended their efforts in establishing JKUAT as a leading institution in science-driven development.
He also urged researchers to focus on innovations that transform communities, create livelihoods, and build knowledge-based industries.
Additionally, he stressed the need for equitable benefit-sharing frameworks to ensure that university innovations deliver tangible value to both researchers and investors.
On her part, Vice Chancellor Prof. Victoria Wambui Ngumi expressed her delight at JKUAT’s recognition as a regional hub, describing it as a testament to the university’s ongoing investment in research and collaboration.
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She stated that JKUAT fully embraces the new direction established by AJ-INSPIRE, noting its alignment with the institution’s vision of driving innovation for sustainable development. Prof. Ngumi extended her gratitude to JICA, the Embassy of Japan, and the Ministry of Education for their continued support of 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.
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 stated.
In addition to research on food value chains, other thematic hubs within AJ-INSPIRE include the Egypt-Japan University of Science and Technology (E-JUST), which will lead energy-related research, and Stellenbosch University in South Africa, which will focus on studies regarding climate change and water systems.
About the Institution
Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology is a public university in Kenya located in Juja, 36 kilometers northeast of Nairobi.
It is a leading higher education institution known for its focus on agriculture, engineering, and technology.
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Originally a college established with Japanese government aid in 1981, it became a full university in 1994 and offers a wide range of programs across various fields.
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