Egerton University played host to a delegation from Seychelles led by the Minister of Agriculture, Climate Change, and Environment, Mr. Flavien Joubert, on February 27, 2024. The visit aimed at exploring avenues of partnership between the two entities.
The discussions revolved around potential areas of collaboration, including capacity building in agriculture and veterinary medicine, staff and student exchange programmes, extension services, and curriculum development. Mr. Joubert expressed Seychelles' eagerness to enhance the quality of education in agricultural-related courses by leveraging external expertise, particularly from Egerton University, renowned for its excellence in agricultural research and education.
Highlighting the significance of innovation in agriculture, Mr. Joubert emphasized the need to diversify Seychelles' economy, predominantly reliant on tourism, by tapping into the agricultural sector. The envisioned collaboration aims to bridge gaps in agricultural training and stimulate innovation crucial for Seychelles' sustainable development.
The journey towards collaboration commenced in 2022 with initial conversations leading to the drafting of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between Egerton University and Seychelles, currently awaiting approval from the Attorney General’s Office.
Welcoming the collaboration, Vice Chancellor Prof. Isaac Kibwage affirmed Egerton University's commitment to supporting Seychelles' agricultural endeavors. Prof. Kibwage articulated Egerton's readiness to dispatch staff to Seychelles to assess the country's food and nutrition security needs comprehensively. Additionally, the University plans to allocate training positions for Seychellois students and welcomes the prospect of hosting exchange students from Seychelles.
The envisioned collaboration between Egerton University and Seychelles holds promise for advancing agricultural innovation, addressing food security challenges, and fostering mutual learning and growth.
Agnes Mwangi
