Kenya yet to recover from financial crisis

'I challenge universities and other research institutions to find ways of translating their research into innovations applicable to the end users so that they can make a difference in their day to day economic and social activities,” he said.

“The answer to food security lies within the realms of the lead researchers and their ability to cascade their findings for implementation by governments, farmers and business persons,” added the President.

With regards to energy production, the President said the search for alternative energy sources such as geothermal, solar and was still on.

This he said, was in line with their ambition to increase electricity supply in rural areas from four to 12 percent by 2012, a move expected to boost agricultural production.

Higher Education Assistant minister Kilemi Mwiria, who also spoke at the event, said farmers should take advantage of growing traditional crops like cassava, arrow roots amongst others if the country is to become food secure.

The theme of the three-day conference is Food, Health and Energy; Challenges for Sustainable Agriculture.