By Silas Otieno

On March 21, the Mastercard Foundation Scholars, visited Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) with the aim of deepening their understanding of innovation, value addition, and entrepreneurship. This visit was also aimed at providing them with experiential exposure to transformative initiatives in technology and agriculture.

The tour included visits to significant Departments such as Jomo Kenyatta Innovation Hub (JHUB), JKUAT Enterprises (JKUATES), and the Tissue Culture Lab, which provided a unique perspective on how education and industry connect to drive progress. At JHUB, the Mastercard Foundation Scholars engaged with experts who mentor startups in refining their business models and scale operations.
The hub’s incubation programs offer not just a workspace but also structured training and funding opportunities, thereby cultivating an environment where young innovators thrive. The participants gained insights on integrating artificial intelligence, machine learning and blockchain technologies in businesses and society at large.

The Mastercard Foundation Scholars then visited to JKUAT Enterprises (JKUATES), where they saw how agricultural products are turned into ready-made goods. They experienced the step by step process of making yoghurt, starting from milk reception and pasteurization to flavoring and packaging as well as quality control, branding and market positioning. Additionally, attendees examined how raw grains are precooked with essential nutrients and packaged using modern–edge milling and packaging technologies in the flour processing plant, giving a glimpse into the significance of food processing in enhancing food security

Beyond food processing, the scholars visited JKUAT farms, where they learnt about employment of tissue culture to propagate disease-free seedlings, leveraging grafting to improve crop yields, and the role of biotechnology in revolutionizing sustainable farming. Furthermore, they explored how controlled breeding techniques improve plant varieties and how scientific advancements ensure food security by allowing for large-scale production of high-yield crops.

This experience allowed the participants to network with industry experts, get a deeper appreciation for innovation, entrepreneurship, and using research to enhance sustainable solutions. These experiences empowered the young innovators with knowledge that would enable them to turn their ideas into solutions that drive growth in education, technology and agriculture.