Top University Students Honoured in the Inaugural KUBICO Awards for Excellence in Biotechnology

Four students pursuing biotechnology and related courses at public universities have been honored by the Kenya University Biotechnology Consortium (KUBICO) for their outstanding academic performance.

The awardees — Amos Phares and Sarah Rombo of Kenyatta University, and Lucy Mwihaki and Precious Kerubo of the University of Nairobi — are the first recipients of the inaugural awards, which will be extended to other universities in future editions.

KUBICO secretary general Joel Ochieng said the awards are intended to motivate students to work harder and improve perceptions regarding biotechnology as a lucrative career.

“These top students selected through the university systems have received certificates, cash awards and trophies to appreciate their competence and effort they put in place to achieve the best grades in their area of study,” he said during the award ceremony.

KUBICO used the event to announce plans to revamp its Youth Wing to popularize biotechnology as a lucrative area of research and training that is vital for food security.

Dr Ochieng who leads the Biotechnology Programme at the University of Nairobi (UoN) divulged the intention is to roll out the awards to other universities with JKUAT, Egerton, Masinde Muliro and Maseno Universities being top on the list.

Over the recent past, interest on biotechnology has increased with more students preferring it as a course and the public making inquiries around it as a subject matter.

 Prof Richard Oduor, the registrar in charge of research at Kenyatta University noted the future of biotechnology is rapidly advancing, with growing interest and innovation across disciplines.

“Even with the ban, none of the universities decommissioned the biotechnology programmes but instead remained steadfast because they believe in the technology,” said Prof Oduor who doubles up as KUBICO chairman.

President William Ruto’s Kenya Kwanza administration lifted the ban on genetically modified organisms (GMO) foods on October 3 2022 through a cabinet dispatch and gazette the same on October 26 2022.

GMOs were banned in Kenya by President Mwai Kibaki’s administration in 2012 and the ban remained in force under his successor Uhuru Kenyatta.

Last month, the Court of Appeal ruled against the government’s decision to lift the ban on GMOs following an appeal by the Kenya Peasants League (KPL) and the Biodiversity and Biosafety Association of Kenya (BIBA), along with 18 other organizations.

“Our only prayer is that the matters that are still within the judicial realm will be dealt with very quickly and determinations made so that we can see the rollout of some of the products from this technology and so that all those who are graduating can go out there, implement and benefit from it,” he said.

Prof Oduor noted that it is high time that the youth’s voice is integrated into discussions around biotechnology which have previously been advanced by the older scientists.

“It’s time that the youth are given the expertise to do so given their access to social media and groupings because at the end of the day, this science is going to affect them,” he said.

Egerton University professor Charles Muleke pointed out the broad applications of biotechnology, from medicine to agriculture and the clothing industry, emhasising humanity cannot do without it.

Prof Muleke who is a molecular parasitology and immunology professor highlighted that improving agricultural productivity is vital for feeding the country’s growing population amidst climate change pangs.

ligadwah@businessdayafrica.org