BY GPS
Bungoma county is set to partner with Kibabii university in areas of agriculture and youth empowerment.
Speaking during a consultative meeting with the university’s top management,Bungoma governor Kenneth Lusaka committed to partner with the varsity to ensure new innovations in agriculture that will see higher productivity.
“Institutions of higher learning should be in the forefront of leading innovations that help the communities they live with,and because our people are largely farmers we will appreciate research and innovations in that field,” Said Lusaka.
He said most cities in the world had grown courtesy of varsities adding that the government was willing to partner the institution to sponsor jobless youths undergo short courses in agriculture,value addition, information technology , accounting and budget making.
“These courses will go a long way to change their lives by using the knowledge they achieve to be self employed,”Said Lusaka.
He said the program should also target Juakali artisans.
Kibabii Deputy vice chancellor in charge of administration Prof.Siamba Donald said they were already in partnership with a Norwegian agency that is willing to pump money into helping mushroom farmers in Bungoma county.
” Mushroom farming is gradually becoming a very profitable venture and we are sure if we partner with the county government our farmers can make lots of profits” said Siamba.
Vice chancellor Prof.Odeo Ipara promised to have experts from the varsity help the county government in research and innovations.
Ipara also said that the varsity will work to ensure they start courses that are highly required by the residents of Bungoma county.
“We want to start courses that are helpful to the community,”Said Lusaka.
He said they had already started the production of indigenous trees which they will donate to the county for onward distribution to farmers.