Debts running into billions of shillings has forced Moi University to explore strategies that will make it self-sufficient and stop over-dependent on government backed capitation.
The university leadership led by its Council Chairman Prof Humprey Kimani Njuguna said it has embarked on a programme to plant avocado seedlings in 1,000 acres of land to ensure the maximum utilisation of the available resources. He spoke in Murang’a during an avocado stakeholders meeting saying the university will plant the fruits in its land to enable it to be self-sustaining financially.
The forum was organised by former Murang’a county assembly speaker Nduati Kariuki and the Murang’a Avocado Farmers’ Cooperative Union with 3,200 members. Already, 42 public universities are struggling with a Sh62 billion debt as indicated in the financial report 2024/2025.
He said there was a need to increase production of the avocado at the household levels to help meet the ever-increasing demand for the avocado in the international market. Njuguna explained that research funded by the University established that an acre of the hass variety of avocado can yield fruits with a market value of Sh2.2 million.
“In five years, the university will be earning not less than Sh5 billion annually from the sale of the value-added avocado, thus reducing over reliance on government capitatio,” said Njuguna, a former Gatanga MP. The university, he added, will also invest in establishing an avocado processing industry to facilitate value addition strategies.
Njuguna said the university team toured Jomo Kenya University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) in Juja and Kakuzi in Murang’a learning on the best ways to nurture the avocado trees and apple fruits.
Nduati on his part said Murang’a County was leading in Africa in avocado production. ” We are extremely delighted that our institution of learning is in support of the avocado farming owing to high returns,” said Nduati.