Visit of Delegation from Kenya to the Federal Republic of Germany

The DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service) organized an information visit of Delegation from Kenya to the Federal Republic of Germany. The visit which was headed by the DAAD Head of Section Scholarship Programmes for Africa Mr. Cay Etzold saw different heads of institutions from Kenya being represented. The visit was primarily aimed at fostering closer ties between Kenya and Germany on issues pertaining to Scholarships for African students, research, international cooperation with Africa agricultural research institutions and Staff exchange in the Natural Sciences spectrum.

The Kenyan delegation which was headed by Prof. Hamadi Iddi Boga, Principal Secretary, State Department for Agricultural Research (SDAR), saw the University of Eldoret being represented by the Vice-Chancellor Prof. Teresa Akenga. The visit which majorly dwell on issues to do with food security, cooperation and scholarship for African students opened an avenue for UoE to enhance partnership and networking to promote scholarship and improvement of the School of Agriculture and Biotechnology. The visit was tailored towards enhancing capacity for Kenyan institutions to increase production of PhDs students to meet the growing need of research, enhance capacity building in research funding systems, enhance Public-Private Partnerships to prove food security, and fast-track movement from primary production to value addition kind of production.

During the visit, the Vice-Chancellor through her presentation about the University and particularly the School of Agriculture and Biotechnology highlighted the University potential in enhancing food security and promoting agro-economy, which is a key pillar in the Big Four Agenda of the government. She further identified some of the collaboration between UoE and German Universities, which have been essential in enhancing funding of key research projects and scholarships within the University.

As part of the visit, the Kenyan delegation visited various key institutions of research in four City of Germany namely, Germany Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), German Research Foundation (DFG), University of Bonn, Fraunhofer Institute Schmallenberg, Johann Heinrich Von Thunen Institute Federal Research Institute for Rural Areas, Forestry and Fisheries, Leibniz-Institut DSMZ-German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Culture, Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture, German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment, and Albercht Daniel Thaer-Institute of agricultural and Horticultural Sciences Homboldt-Universitat Zu Berlin. Through the visit, need arose to enhance cooperation between the two countries, and it was clear that:

DAAD needed to fast-track establishment of an Applied Science University in Kenya to fasten commercialization of research outputs.
There was need to establish modalities to organize joint agricultural conferences and workshops.
There was need to create modalities that will facilitate collaboration and exchange programmes for Scientist between Kenya and German research institutions.
Cooperation and collaboration between German’s funding organization (DFG) and Kenya’s NRF, Universities and research entities needed to be enhanced through signing of MOUs.
Enhance establishment of Biological Resources Centre for Conservation within Kenya in collaboration with German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures (DSMZ).
Kenyan experts needed to register at Global Food Loss and Waste Research Platform (MACs-G20 Collaboration Initiative Food Loss and Waste) to benefit from the forum.

The Kenyan delegation comprised of Prof. Hamadi Iddi Boga (Principal Secretary, State Department), Prof. Teresa Akenga (Vice-Chancellor University of Eldoret), Hon. Adan Haji Ali Sheikh (Member of Parliament, National Assembly), Hon. Janet Jepkemboi Korir (Member of Parliament, National Assembly), Hon Danson Mwashako Mwakuwona (Member of Parliament, National Assembly), Mr. Geoffrey Kiprotich Sigei (Economist, National Treasury), Mr. Victor Omondi Ogalo (Head of Policy and Research, Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA), Mr. Tirop Kimulany Kosgey (Chairman, National Research Fund-NRF), Ms. Katra Chebaibai Sambili (Office of the President), Dr. Eliud Kiplimo Kireger (Director General, Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization-KALRO), Dr. David Kiprotich Kios (Managing Director, Kenya Animal Genetic Resources Centre-KAGRC), Dr. Joseph Mwangi Macharia (Head of Policy, State Department for Agricultural Research-SDAR), Mr. Cay Etzold (Head of Section Africa-DAAD) and Mr. Oliver Kurta (DAAD Travel guide)