Narrative
Full Description
Project narrative
The Chinese Government funded its first Chinese Integrated Research Institute Overseas facility, the China-Africa Joint Research Center, based at Jomo Kenyatta (SAJOREC) University of Agriculture and Technology in Kenya. The Chinese government provided aid for the 3 billion Kenya shilling project. The research center includes buildings of 4,300 square meters and a 36-acre botanical garden. The center focuses on biodiversity protection, resources remote sensing, microbiology, and the promotion of modern agricultural practices, and has trained 160 Kenyan laboratory technicians. Shanghai Construction Engineering helped construct the project. The groundbreaking ceremony was held on May 29, 2015. Chinese Ambassador to Kenya, Dr. Liu Xian Fa, officiated the handed over of the research center at JKUAT Main Campus in Juja on September 26, 2016. The research project was jointly implemented by the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology.
Staff comments
The Chinese Academy of Sciences donated equipment worth more than 2.2 million U.S. dollars for the facility, though it is unclear if this is included in the reported 3 billion Ksh amount.