By Benadeta Mwaura - Reporter
Kenya, 15 December 2025 - In a landmark move that could help transform agriculture, Meru University of Science and Technology (MUST) has secured a large parcel of land to establish a much‑anticipated agro‑processing and value‑addition centre, marking a major step toward boosting rural economies and integrating Kenya’s agricultural sector into broader industrial and climate‑resilient frameworks.
The land acquisition comes at a time when policymakers, academics, and agripreneurs are pushing for value addition and industrialisation of agriculture nation‑wide, a strategy viewed as essential to raising incomes for smallholder farmers and promoting sustainable practices.
University officials say the secured land will form the physical backbone of the centre, designed to offer farmers and students alike the tools to turn raw agricultural produce into marketable, higher‑value products.
Although full details of the facility’s design and partners are still emerging, the move is already being welcomed by local leaders as a strategic effort to bridge academic research, practical skills, and commercial processing, especially for crops that form the backbone of Meru’s rural economy.
“University‑led agro‑processing is about transforming ideas into livelihoods. Our farmers produce abundantly, but too often they sell raw produce with minimal returns,” said an official from the MUST agriculture department, highlighting the potential impact. MUST has a strong agricultural mandate and history of outreach to farming communities.
At a recent Meru University Farmers Field Day, Dr. Stephen Karanja, Registrar for Academic and Student Affairs, highlighted the importance of climate‑smart practices and sustained university‑community engagement in agriculture.
Local agripreneurs, who have long advocated for infrastructure that supports value addition, see the centre as a platform that could finally catalyse Kenya’s push toward an agro‑industrial revolution.
“Processing at source means we keep more of the value here at home, not just exporting raw materials,” said Njuguna Karatu, Chair of the Iyego Coffee Cooperative Society, reflecting the sentiment among farmers in the region. This follows broader industry concerns about value chain development.
The agro‑processing centre comes against a backdrop of increasing climate variability that continues to affect agricultural yield patterns across Kenya.
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Experts note that integrating value addition and storage infrastructure can effectively reduce post‑harvest losses, which are worsened by extreme weather and poor transport networks, thereby reducing environmental strain while improving food security.
National and continental strategies have similarly emphasised the importance of agro‑processing hubs as part of a climate‑smart agricultural transformation, focusing on innovation, resilience, and sustainable practices.
Indeed, keeping more agricultural systems local and integrated with academic research can support better practices such as improved crop varieties, sustainable soil management, and waste reduction through by‑product valorisation.
These measures align with emerging climate resilience priorities in Kenya’s agricultural policy and the broader African agritech agenda.
Critically, the centre’s potential goes beyond immediate agricultural returns. It could serve as a skills and innovation hub, where students, researchers, and local entrepreneurs develop and refine technologies that improve processing efficiency and product quality.
“If we are going to retain youth in rural areas, we must create jobs that are anchored in innovation, not just farm labour,” observed a regional development expert. Integrating academia with real economic opportunities, particularly in rural Kenya, remains a core challenge and priority for national development plans.
Dr Faith Mwende, Meru’s CEC for Agriculture, has also championed sustainable agriculture and farmer groups as key to resilience and rural livelihoods.
