Brief news on farming and agribusiness from around the country
A young farmer inspects tomato crops in his farm in Murang'a. Youth are set to benefit from training in modern agribusiness skills in a programme to be implemented by the government and other partners. PHOTO | BRIAN OKINDA | NMG
What you need to know:
- Prof Julius Ochuodho, an agriculture lecturer, said the Youth Agribusiness Incubation Project is part of Smart Water Solution Technologies for Agriculture Programme and will run for five years to offer youths farming ideas.
- Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service’s Eldoret manager Jane Boit said as a regulatory body, they will ensure good quality seeds are available.
- The Kenya Agricultural Knowledge and Information System will consolidate information gathered from sources such as research centres, non governmental organisations, universities and parastatals.
- Prof Boga added research has been greatly undermined and ill-utilised, resulting in citizens suffering from preventable problems.
Youth to benefit from free training on modern farming
The youth will benefit from training in modern agribusiness skills in a programme to be implemented by the government and other partners.
The University of Eldoret in Uasin Gishu County has been identified as the outreach centre for the North Rift. Several youths have begun visiting the institution to benefit from the free training.
Prof Julius Ochuodho, an agriculture lecturer, said the Youth Agribusiness Incubation Project is part of Smart Water Solution Technologies for Agriculture Programme and will run for five years to offer youths farming ideas.
Uasin Gishu Executive in- charge of Agriculture Samuel Yego urged youths to embrace agriculture promising that the county will fund those who will form groups.
Yego said Eldoret International Airport has been underutilised because local farmers had not produced enough products to meet requirements for the international market.
Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service’s Eldoret manager Jane Boit said as a regulatory body, they will ensure good quality seeds are available.
She welcomed the collaboration assuring to support farmers understand crops and fruits that have demand and can be exported such as Irish potatoes, avocado, passion Fruits and French beans.
-Stanley Kimuge
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Ministry moves to create one-stop information centre
Farmers will soon benefit from a data centre by the Ministry of Agriculture, which will allow them to access agricultural information from multiple sources.
The Kenya Agricultural Knowledge and Information System will consolidate information gathered from sources such as research centres, non governmental organisations, universities and parastatals.
Speaking at a forum to build consensus on the system, Hamadi Boga, the PS for the State Department of Agriculture Research, said that the new system will be a one-stop shop for agriculture information.
He said that it would help in achieving the president’s food agenda for the country.
“A national knowledge system will serve farmers, investors and policy makers. Those investing in agriculture must be guided by information to make the correct decisions,” Prof Boga told Seeds of Gold.
Prof Boga added research has been greatly undermined and ill-utilised, resulting in citizens suffering from preventable problems.
“We have farmers who come from areas that are not suitable for growing maize, yet they insist and still grow the crop. They can spend up to Sh20,000 growing those two bags while it costs Sh6000 to buy,” PS Boga said.
-Agewa Magut
