By Tindi Kuchio
The strategic location of the University of Eldoret in an agriculturally endowed area has seen its management roll out a number of projects to benefit leaners and members of the neighbouring community.
The university has put up a modern building at the Milk Cooling Plant that was donated by the Ministry of Agriculture which will serve as an Outreach Centre.
The facility has been constructed through collaboration with the Government of Netherlands under NICHE programme.
Speaking to Education News, the university’s Vice- Chancellor, Prof. Teresa Akenga said the centre will be used for training farmers and providing them with any new innovation to boost production and information about dairy and potato farming.
She noted that the centre will also be actively involved in soil testing for farmers.
“The university sits on 1, 052 acre chunk of land and we use a significant part of it for farming where we grow maize, wheat and also keep dairy cows. We have about 200 dairy cows which have made us use part of the farm to produce dairy feeds,” explained the Vice- Chancellor.
She confirmed that the maize is sold to the local community and any surplus taken to the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) while milk is also sold to the neighbouring community and the New Kenya Co-operative Creameries.
“We sell our wheat to millers while at the same time we generate our own flour called ‘Graduate’ which is sold to the local community,” she added.
Prof. Akenga revealed that the university has an Annual Agri-Business Trade Fair which brings farmers and financiers together to expose the former to the latest technologies that are easily adaptable.
“Entry is free and the event attracts more than 50, 000 farmers and several exhibitors. It has lately grown to become an international event that attracts exhibitors from East African region as well as Netherlands and United States of America,” she observed.
The university head further revealed that they were partnering with the County Government of Uasin Gishu on aquaculture where they have put up a fish hatchery to produce fingerlings which are sold to farmers at a subsidized cost or discounted rate.
She confirmed that the university had signed a Memorandum of Understanding to collaborate with the University of Missouri in offering courses in engineering, agriculture and renewable energy.
Prof. Akenga further noted that the university had been working closely with traditional medical practitioners in formulation and handling of traditional medicine especially preservation of plants with medicinal value.
In the recent past, the university administration has put up a number of modern buildings and acquired state-of–the-art facilities in order to enhance the level of training at the institution.
