of China-Africa textile and apparel research as well as cultural exchange: in 2015, Confucius Institute at Moi
University, the first and so far only Confucius Institute featuring textile engineering and fashion design was
officially launched; in the same year, the first Sino-Africa International Symposium on Textile and Apparel
(SAISTA) was successfully held at DHU; in 2017, the "Belt & Road" Advanced Seminar for Textile Industry
and International Cooperation in Production Capacity opened at DHU; in 2018, university-enterprise jointly
established the "Belt & Road" Textile Education and Training Center (Africa) in Ethiopia. Up to 2019, SAISTA
has been successfully held 5 times with 5 different themes, which attracted educators and professionals from
China, Kenya, Sudan, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Uganda, and South Africa as well as from all over the world. It’s
my utmost pleasure to witness, out of our SAISTA and SACEF conferences, fruitful achievements of talent
training for African textile and apparel industry as well as great advancement in China-Africa textile science
and technology development.
Africa is a geographical and natural extension of the “Belt and Road” initiative as well as an essential participant. Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, a main platform for expanding and deepening bilateral cooperation,
provides so many possibilities for Africa ranging from abundant resources and various pathways to huge market
and space to diversified development prospects. Although this yar we all face a most challenging time during
the outrage of Covid-19, globalization and It can be envisioned that through this Symposium, more and more
scholars and entrepreneurs will join hands and explore the connotation and effectiveness of educational collaborations between China and Africa. Together, we will make a difference in textile and apparel education, research
and industry liaison between China and Africa. Finally, I hope the joint conference this year a complete success
and that everyone has an inspiring online experience.
Prof. Jianyong Yu
President, Donghua University
MESSAGE FROM THE ACEII-PTRE CENTER LEADER
On behalf of the Conference Organizing Team, I take the earliest opportunity to welcome our Chief Guest and all participants to the first International
Conference organized virtually by The Africa Centre for Excellence in Phytochemicals, Textile and Renewable Energy (ACEII – PTRE), based at Moi
University, Eldoret, Kenya, and Sino-Africa Symposium on Textiles and
Apparel (SAISTA), Donghua University, China.
ACEII – PTRE’s aim is to advance technology development and innovation
in Phytochemicals, Textile and Renewable Energy through delivery of quality
post-graduate training and collaborative research in the regional priority areas.
Thus, ACEII – PTRE has a special focus on capacity-building. Towards this
end, the Centre has equipped more than seven (7) laboratories at the School
of Sciences and Aerospace Studies and School of Engineering that support
research for both staff, students in the University and partners. As such, students
under the Centre partial scholarship program have the great opportunity to present their research papers detailing
the results realized in relation to their research during this virtual conference. The conference was supposed to be
held through face to face at Moi University, Eldoret, but due to the outbreak of covid-19 pandemic, we resorted
to hold it virtually and, on this note, we thank the University Management, World Bank and the Ministry of
Education for allowing us the latitude to hold the conference virtually.
More than two hundred papers were submitted for the conference from all over the world. Papers selected for
presentations reveals the amazing diversity aligned to several thematic areas that include Phytochemistry, Progressive Textiles, Renewable Energy, and Transformative Industrialization. The conference also captures Cross
– cutting topics and research in Sustainable Technology and Innovations and Science, Technology, Engineering,
Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) with relevance to the Theme of the Conference which is, “Advancing Science,
Technology and Innovation for Industrial Growth.”
The conference highlights the remarkable contribution which ACEII – PTRE has made under the support of
World Bank and provides a valuable opportunity for research scientists, industry specialists and decision-makers
to share experiences. Further, we are grateful to the Regional Facilitating Unit: Inter-University Council for
East Africa (IUCEA) for continuous facilitation. Besides the World Bank and IUCEA, we also acknowledge
the participation of our important partners and supporters; Kenya Industrial Research & Development Institute
(KIRDI), RIVATEX East Africa Limited (REAL), University of Lorraine (France), University of Gezira (Sudan),
Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM), Busitema University (Uganda),
Flexi Biogas International, Nocart, Association of Energy Professionals of East Africa (AEPEA), National
University of Science and Technology (Zimbabwe), University of Gent (Belgium), University of Linkoping
xxii
University, the first and so far only Confucius Institute featuring textile engineering and fashion design was
officially launched; in the same year, the first Sino-Africa International Symposium on Textile and Apparel
(SAISTA) was successfully held at DHU; in 2017, the "Belt & Road" Advanced Seminar for Textile Industry
and International Cooperation in Production Capacity opened at DHU; in 2018, university-enterprise jointly
established the "Belt & Road" Textile Education and Training Center (Africa) in Ethiopia. Up to 2019, SAISTA
has been successfully held 5 times with 5 different themes, which attracted educators and professionals from
China, Kenya, Sudan, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Uganda, and South Africa as well as from all over the world. It’s
my utmost pleasure to witness, out of our SAISTA and SACEF conferences, fruitful achievements of talent
training for African textile and apparel industry as well as great advancement in China-Africa textile science
and technology development.
Africa is a geographical and natural extension of the “Belt and Road” initiative as well as an essential participant. Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, a main platform for expanding and deepening bilateral cooperation,
provides so many possibilities for Africa ranging from abundant resources and various pathways to huge market
and space to diversified development prospects. Although this yar we all face a most challenging time during
the outrage of Covid-19, globalization and It can be envisioned that through this Symposium, more and more
scholars and entrepreneurs will join hands and explore the connotation and effectiveness of educational collaborations between China and Africa. Together, we will make a difference in textile and apparel education, research
and industry liaison between China and Africa. Finally, I hope the joint conference this year a complete success
and that everyone has an inspiring online experience.
Prof. Jianyong Yu
President, Donghua University
MESSAGE FROM THE ACEII-PTRE CENTER LEADER
On behalf of the Conference Organizing Team, I take the earliest opportunity to welcome our Chief Guest and all participants to the first International
Conference organized virtually by The Africa Centre for Excellence in Phytochemicals, Textile and Renewable Energy (ACEII – PTRE), based at Moi
University, Eldoret, Kenya, and Sino-Africa Symposium on Textiles and
Apparel (SAISTA), Donghua University, China.
ACEII – PTRE’s aim is to advance technology development and innovation
in Phytochemicals, Textile and Renewable Energy through delivery of quality
post-graduate training and collaborative research in the regional priority areas.
Thus, ACEII – PTRE has a special focus on capacity-building. Towards this
end, the Centre has equipped more than seven (7) laboratories at the School
of Sciences and Aerospace Studies and School of Engineering that support
research for both staff, students in the University and partners. As such, students
under the Centre partial scholarship program have the great opportunity to present their research papers detailing
the results realized in relation to their research during this virtual conference. The conference was supposed to be
held through face to face at Moi University, Eldoret, but due to the outbreak of covid-19 pandemic, we resorted
to hold it virtually and, on this note, we thank the University Management, World Bank and the Ministry of
Education for allowing us the latitude to hold the conference virtually.
More than two hundred papers were submitted for the conference from all over the world. Papers selected for
presentations reveals the amazing diversity aligned to several thematic areas that include Phytochemistry, Progressive Textiles, Renewable Energy, and Transformative Industrialization. The conference also captures Cross
– cutting topics and research in Sustainable Technology and Innovations and Science, Technology, Engineering,
Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) with relevance to the Theme of the Conference which is, “Advancing Science,
Technology and Innovation for Industrial Growth.”
The conference highlights the remarkable contribution which ACEII – PTRE has made under the support of
World Bank and provides a valuable opportunity for research scientists, industry specialists and decision-makers
to share experiences. Further, we are grateful to the Regional Facilitating Unit: Inter-University Council for
East Africa (IUCEA) for continuous facilitation. Besides the World Bank and IUCEA, we also acknowledge
the participation of our important partners and supporters; Kenya Industrial Research & Development Institute
(KIRDI), RIVATEX East Africa Limited (REAL), University of Lorraine (France), University of Gezira (Sudan),
Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM), Busitema University (Uganda),
Flexi Biogas International, Nocart, Association of Energy Professionals of East Africa (AEPEA), National
University of Science and Technology (Zimbabwe), University of Gent (Belgium), University of Linkoping
xxii