Dr. Muhamed Abdel-Monem chairing the project evaluation meeting
Professor Xiong Youcai and the team led by Professor Imbuga, President of Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Techology (JKUAT)
Professor Xiong Youcai and Mr. Wang Zhijia, Special Assistant to the Director General at UNEP
Professor Xiong Youcai discussing future cooperation with Mahesh and Pablo from UNEP
At the invitation of UNEP Division of Regional Cooperation (UNEP/DRC), Professor Xiong Youcai visited UNEP and Kenya from Feb.4 to 8, attended the evaluation meeting “China–UN-Kenya cooperative development and demonstration of dry-land water-saving agricultural technology”, and communicated with the experts on the progress in previous cooperation and future cooperation plans. This meeting helps to promote further cooperation of LZU with UNEP and Kenya.
Mr. Wang Zhijia, the special assistant to the director general at UNEP, met with Professor Xiong Youcai on Feb.6. Mr. Wang spoke highly of the progress made by LZU in Kenya's arid agricultural cooperation projects. He said that food security in Africa was a major concern of the international community and LZU had set a good example to solve a series of problems. He desired for in-depth cooperation with LZU and invited the president of LZU to attend World Climate Conference to be held in Nairobi in June this year.
“China–UN-Kenya cooperative development and demonstration of dry-land water-saving agricultural technology” chaired by LZU received the evaluation of experts from UNEP and Kenya on Feb.7. The evaluation committee was co-chaired by Dr. Mohamed A.S. Abdel-Monem and Professor Nashon Musimba.
The committee concluded that the research by LZU was reasonably designed, obtained systematic and complete data, and drew reliable conclusions. It also confirmed that the micro-field rain-harvesting technologies introduced from China were critical for local food production. Large-scale promotion and application of these technologies has played a vital supporting role in ensuring the increase in grain yield per unit area in Kenya and other African countries. The necessity of carrying out in-depth studies and the key tasks in future promotion process were also discussed. During the visit, Mabel Opanda Imbuga, the President of Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Techology (JKUAT), met with Professor Xiong Youcai and hoped for further exchange and cooperation.
News background:
The project has made considerable progress since 2011 when the research team of LZU went to Kenya for research cooperation and technology demonstration. With the efforts of the research team, LZU promotes the cooperation with Kenya gradually and signs the memorandum of cooperation with UNEP, JKUAT, Kenya Agricultural Research Institute, University of Nairobi and South Eastern Kenya University (SEKU).
It is reported that LZU is the second university in China to sign a formal memorandum of cooperation with UNEP. Engaged in two-year hard trial and demonstration in Kenya, the research team led by Professor Li Fengming and Xiong Youcai has made great progress and won the recognition from media and international organizations.
(Translated by Ren Lina, Proofread by Lawrence Xu)
