Slovenia president Musar launches climate innovation hub at JKUAT

Slovenia President Nataša Pirc Musar has launched a climate innovation hub at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology to support real-time environmental monitoring and climate adaptation in Kenya.

Musar arrived in the country on Saturday, May 31, on a state visit that marks the first-ever by a Slovenian Head of State to Kenya.

The visit coincides with the 21st anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries, established in 2004.

Known as Conduit@Empathy, the hub is a joint initiative between Slovenia’s Centre of Excellence for Space Sciences and Technologies and JHUB Africa, the university’s innovation centre.

 It will use digital and space-based technologies to track river basin ecosystems, monitor environmental shifts and guide climate-sensitive planning.

“Climate change is no longer a future threat — it is our present reality,” said Musar during the launch on Monday, June 2, addressing students, researchers and public officials.

“We must act with urgency, and that means deploying innovation, science and the energy of our youth to protect our planet,” said Musar.

She observed that Slovenia treats climate change as a human rights issue, stressing the importance of giving young people a central role in shaping climate solutions.

Higher Education Principal Secretary Beatrice Muganda Inyangala said the facility represents Kenya’s focus on practical science linked to social impact.

“This represents our collective will to make data meaningful, to connect technology with social purpose and to place universities at the heart of climate resilience,” said Inyangala.

“We are building a data-driven nation by linking research to real-world problem-solving,” she said.

Vice Chancellor Victoria Ngumi said the hub reflects JKUAT’s long-term commitment to addressing climate threats through localised research and policy engagement.

“The challenges we face — climate instability, biodiversity loss, rising inequality — are deeply interconnected,” said Ngumi.

She added that JKUAT would open the hub to communities and counties by hosting training programmes and partnering with public agencies to co-create ecosystem services.

Kiambu Governor Kimani Wamatangi praised the university’s contribution to Kenya’s technical workforce and community-based innovations.

“JKUAT has been instrumental in transferring technology to the community and producing the skilled workforce that powers our county and country,” said Wamatangi.

The launch comes as Kenya and the wider continent face worsening climate disruptions including drought, floods and failed harvests — despite accounting for a small share of global emissions.

The Conduit@Empathy hub will support government strategies by delivering climate data to guide planning, resource use and early warnings.

Slovenia has built a global reputation for sustainability through international partnerships that focus on grassroots-led climate action, gender equity and resilience.