Kenya ranked top for agriculture innovations
An agricultural officer inspects cherry tomatoes inside a greenhouse at the Wambugu Agricultural Training Centre in Nyeri. The country has been rated among leading nations in innovative agriculture. FILE PHOTO | JOSEPH KANYI | NMG
What you need to know:
- The programme is expected to train university students in field extension services.
- The lecturers trained for three weeks although they mostly visited various farmers groups in Kikambala and Mtwapa to familiarise themselves with their activities.
- Kilifi county officer in-charge of agriculture Baha Nguma said the FFS programme would benefit farmers.
Kenya has been rated among leading nations in innovative agriculture.
Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) said the move by several universities and other institutions of higher learning in Kenya to embrace Farmer Field School (FFS) initiatives had made Kenya climb the ladder among 90 countries.
The programme is expected to train university students in field extension services.
The training is sponsored by FAO and the Swiss Development Cooperation to a tune of $60,000.
FAO representative Debora Duveskog spoke at the Kenya Agricultural, Livestock and Research Organization centre in Mtwapa during the Field School graduation for 16 Pwani University students.
The lecturers trained for three weeks although they mostly visited various farmers groups in Kikambala and Mtwapa to familiarise themselves with their activities.
“Although Kenya has experienced a myriad of challenges especially for farmers and pastoralists, FAO believes that we need to address these challenges in multi-sector approach, and not confining it to farmers and pastoralists,” she said.
Duveskog added Kenya was the first country in Africa to send its agriculture experts to participate in the FFS programme when it was first rolled out in Asia, before it was quickly implemented into the country.
Kilifi county officer in-charge of agriculture Baha Nguma said the FFS programme would benefit farmers.
