MMUST was privileged with visitors from Purdue UniversitySchool of Agriculture on 7th May, 2018. Among the visitors wereProf.GuriJohal - Molecular pathology and genetics and Prof Sue Loesch-Fries - plant virology.
The motive of the visit was to strengthen Research and Innovation within the two partner Universities, which came as a result of a collaborative research initiative by a Borlaug fellow Robert Leitich, whose sole purpose is to provide Kenyan students with an opportunity to end maize viruses by working on new ways of managing Maize lethal Necrotic Diseases in Kenya (MLND).
While addressing the visitors, MMUST team represented by Dr. Jackson Cheruiyot, Dr. John Muoma and Dr. VitalisOgema who is also the lead post-harvest researcher in MMUST, welcomed the move for the partnership of the two universities saying it will ameliorate agricultural practices along the farm produce chain, going by the fact that Purdue University’s School of Agriculture has globally been on the leading front in agricultural innovations, having recently invented chemical free low-cost storage bags that preserves food for a long time. They also applauded the Purdue Improved Crop Storage (PICS) bags which they said arereusable and can be used up to three times with effective control of pests, hence greatly reduces farmer’s post-harvest losses incurred every year.
The MMUST team, agreed to partner with the Purdue University team to come up with a platform that will enable an exchange program which will see MMUST students move to Purdue University for practical agricultural skills as those from Purdue University also visit Kenya, which will be aimed at improving food nutrition using modern breeding techniques. “Once this process comes in fruition, a well-structured program will be put in place to enable Kenyan students not only get practical training on agricultural practices but also travel to Purdue University for other agricultural related degree programs” said Dr.Muoma.
While receiving the Purdue University team on behalf of the Vice Chancellor, The Director International Linkages-MMUST, Dr. Catherine Aura commended the move to partner with Purdue University in matters Agriculture and assured MMUST’s commitment to fast track the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) once the proposal is in place, as this will help achieve the Kenya’s presidential big four agenda, as it addresses food security as one of the big presidential agendas.
We wish to thank the University management under the leadership of the Vice Chancellor Prof. Fred Otieno for the great commitment and effort it has put in place tofacilitate and enhance agricultural sector.
