Kibabii University on Saturday, 15th November 2025, hosted a delegation from Florida A&M University (FAMU), USA, marking a major step toward establishing a long-term academic and research partnership in agriculture, biotechnology, and natural resource management. The visit followed the delegation’s participation in the Biotechnology for Africa Symposium held earlier in the week at Egerton University.
The three-member FAMU team comprised Prof. Harriet Paul (Director of International Agriculture and the Center for International Agriculture Trade, Development, Research and Training), Prof. Mehboob Sheikh (Professor and Program Leader at the Plant Biotechnology Centre) and Dr. Imrul Ahmed (Senior Scientist at the Plant Biotechnology Centre). They were accompanied by Prof. Samuel Mwonga and Mr. Paul from the African Centre of Excellence in Sustainable Agriculture and Agribusiness Management (CESAAM) at Egerton University.
The consultative meeting was chaired by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Planning, Partnership, Research and Innovation) Prof. Julius Maiyo. In his opening remarks, Prof. Maiyo highlighted the significance of the engagement, noting that as the University marks 10 years since receiving its charter in 2015 the partnership aligns with its strategic agenda to deepen international collaborations and expand its research footprint.
During the meeting, a draft Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between FAMU and Kibabii University was presented for joint review. The MoU outlines a broad framework for collaboration in food, agriculture, and natural resource sciences across teaching, training, research, and outreach. The partnership is anchored on two cross-cutting themes: agro-innovation and agri-enterprise development, seen as critical engines for driving regional transformation in the agricultural sector.
During the technical session, the Kibabii University team proposed several areas for immediate and future engagement, including: Joint curriculum development, research mentorship, and innovation hubs, staff and student exchange programmes between the two institutions, digital learning innovations, including virtual facilities for health sciences, and Virtual training platforms to support professional development.
