After a three year wait, the first Sh40 million phase towards construction of a Regional Center of Excellence in Eastern Africa has finally kicked off at Egerton University.
The investment aimed at boosting sustainable, climate-smart farming in Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania, Burundi and South Sudan is a joint initiative between the university and Kilimo Trust through financial support from The IKEA Foundation.
At hand to officiate the kickoff of the construction project at the varsity’s Njoro Main Campus botanical garden were Vice-Chancellor Professor Isaac Kibwage and Kilimo Trust Chairman Dr Bruce Scott.
While confirming that Regional Center of Excellence in Eastern Africa has undergone statutory and institutional approval processes, Professor Kibwage said the partnership aligns with national and continental priorities on sustainable food systems and reinforces the university’s role in research-driven agricultural development.
The IKEA Foundation is already partnering with Kilimo Trust and Egerton University to support rice farmers and other value chain actors in Kenya and Uganda to adopt regenerative farming practices.
The Vice Chancellor indicated that the center will catalyse transformation in agriculture by researching, developing and sharing knowledge on regenerative agricultural practices, building capacity in the agricultural sector and empowering communities to adopt sustainable and resilient practices.
He disclosed that the facility will be equipped with a state-of-the-art reference laboratory that will provide services related to soil health and will further provide guidance to experts on sustainable soil management enhanced by adoption of regenerative agriculture.
“The plant tissue lab will offer analysis for plant health, nutrient concentration levels and impact. This will necessitate provision of knowledge and guidance to good agronomic practices for farmers and extension agents,” elaborated the Vice Chancellor.
Professor Kibwage stated that ideas on circular economy, sustainable agribusiness, enterprises on agricultural by-products particularly on clean energy and environmental sustainability will be incubated at the facility.
The Centre will be hosted at Egerton University’s Agro-Science Park, serving as a regional hub for regenerative agriculture practices. Activities will focus on demonstration farms, carbon credit research, bio-economy studies and agribusiness innovation.
Professor Kibwage assured that the facility is designed to support farmers, researchers and students, while also enhancing regional value chains.
Dr Scott noted that experts and researchers at the center will emphasize the need for knowledge transfer, access to finance, inputs and policies that support regenerative agriculture as critical goals for both industry partners and government agencies across East Africa.
Regenerative agriculture is an evolution of conventional agriculture, reducing the use of water and other inputs and preventing land degradation and deforestation.
It protects and improves soil, biodiversity, climate resilience and water resources while making farming more productive and profitable.
Dr Scott highlighted the importance of training and educating smallholder farmers in regenerative agriculture, stressing that partnerships and platforms are essential for knowledge sharing.
He underscored the importance of further collaboration and partnerships within the agricultural value chain to help smallholder farmers maximize the benefits of regenerative agricultural practices.
“Forging stronger partnerships is key to unlocking the potential of regenerative agriculture for smallholders. Producing more while restoring more is at the heart of regenerative agriculture, but it requires a concerted effort to support farmers already impacted by climate change,” he stated.
Smallholder farmers produce a third of the global food supply, with figures in some African countries reaching between 70 to 80 percent.
Dr Scott noted that these farming communities face significant risks from poverty, climate change and hunger. However, he added, regenerative and adaptive agricultural practices are increasingly seen as a way to combat these challenges.
“The acceptance and understanding of regenerative agriculture by smallholder farmers is crucial to Kilimo Trust’s mission of achieving Health for All, Hunger for None,” the chairman pointed out.
Kilimo Trust Chief Executive Officer Dr Birungi Karutaro indicated that the initiative supports both Kenyan national priorities and regional East African goals for climate-smart agriculture and sustainable food security.
Dr Karutaro explained that the center will drive innovation and sustainable agricultural practices which she noted were essential to overcoming challenges like climate change, soil degradation and food insecurity.
She stated that the sector is undergoing a technology-driven metamorphosis, transitioning from traditional methods to Agri-Tech ecosystem that prioritizes productivity, climate resilience and long-term viability.
Dr Karutaro explained that Kenya’s agricultural sector serves as the backbone of its economy, supporting more than 70 per cent of the rural population and contributing approximately 26 per cent of the nation’s Gross Domestic Product.
“If Kenya is to secure its agricultural future and achieve food security, climate-smart solutions must be adopted to help farmers adapt to these adverse conditions. To secure Kenya’s agricultural future and build resilience among smallholder farmers and pastoralists, a shift toward climate-smart agriculture is critical. This center will promote anchoring of climate smart solutions in agricultural practices,” she stated.
Kilimo Trust Kenya Country Team Leader Mr Anthony Mugambi said the Centre will provide a regional platform for climate-smart agriculture, carbon credit and bio-economy research, as well as private sector innovation.
He added that it will be accessible to researchers, students and farming communities across the region.
Professor Paul Kimurto, Director of the Agro-Science Park, said the Centre will operate as a hub for research, innovation and capacity building in climate-smart and regenerative agriculture.
“Planned activities include demonstration farms, farmer and extension training programmes, agribusiness incubation and applied research collaborations,” he said.
The initiative strengthens Egerton University’s mandate in agricultural sciences and positions the Agro-Science Park as a regional centre for regenerative agriculture, Agri-value chain development and technology transfer.
The research component will be led by Professor Kimurto and Professor James Ondiek, Chair of the Department of Animal Science, with MSc and PhD students involved in field research and data generation.
Once established, the Joint Centre of Excellence is expected to contribute to policy development, strengthen farmer resilience and support sustainable value chains amid increasing climate challenges in East Africa.
Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Agriculture and Livestock in National Assembly Dr John Kanyuithia Mutunga hailed the unveiling of the facility stating that it will scale up agricultural technologies and innovations developed at the university for market readiness.
Though hosted in Kenya, Dr Mutunga observed that the centre is designed to influence policy and strengthen value chains across the broader East African region.
He affirmed that the Departmental Committee on Agriculture and Livestock in the National Assembly was supporting regenerative agriculture with clean energy solutions that involves integrating renewable energy technologies like solar, wind, and geothermal into farming practices to reduce reliance on fossil fuels and promote sustainable, environmentally friendly farming.
Dr Mutunga noted that with a rapidly growing population, expected to hit 96 million by 2050, there is an urgent need for Kenya to sustainably produce sufficient, nutritious food for all while addressing climate change impacts from agricultural practices.
The Tigania West Member of Parliament pointed out that since agriculture emits 20 percent of Green Houses Gases (GHGs), adopting long term, climate sensitive farming was imperative.
He reaffirmed the committee’s commitment to supporting the implementation of regenerative agriculture through clean energy solutions. He emphasised that integrating clean and renewable energy into agricultural practices would lead to cost reductions in production, increased yields, and improved food security for residents.
“As Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Agriculture and Livestock I support this initiative, which seeks to establish a renewable energy-driven, resilient food system that promotes sustainable farming practices, increases farmers’ incomes, and enhances livelihoods,” stated Dr Mutunga.
Dr Mutunga however, pointed out that scaling up renewable energy use in agri-food systems to advance food security will require more concerted action by decision-makers in government, the private sector, international organisations, financing institutions, academia and nongovernmental organisations.
By Jane Ngugi and Dennis Rasto
