The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development has called for stronger partnerships to expand the 4K Clubs programme and attract more young people to agriculture.
Speaking during a youth agricultural learning event and field day organized by aak Grow (formerly the Agrochemicals Association of Kenya), Head of the Youth in Agriculture Unit Charles Lusweti said the 4K programme is helping bridge the gap created by an aging farming population by introducing learners to agriculture at an early age.
Lusweti said the rebranded 4K Clubs, relaunched in 2021, are now active in all 47 counties, with about 2,700 registered clubs and more than 300,000 learners participating.
He noted that the programme is exposing learners to modern agricultural technologies, including drones, digital tools, and agribusiness opportunities, making the sector more attractive to youth.
“The new 4K Club is not just about farming. Learners are being introduced to technology, innovation, and opportunities across agricultural value chains,” he said.
Lusweti urged county governments, schools, and private sector partners to continue supporting the initiative, saying collaboration is key to reaching more schools and strengthening food security, nutrition, and youth employment.
He also highlighted successful school farming projects in Kajiado and Embu, where agricultural production is supporting school feeding programs.
Stella Simiyu, CEO of CropLife Africa Middle East, which has partnered with the government to support the 4K club initiatives, lauded Kenya’s efforts to involve young people in agriculture, saying the country’s investment in agricultural education is key to ensuring future food security.
Simiyu said Kenya is among three countries implementing the Sustainable Pesticide Management Framework, a five-year initiative aimed at promoting sustainable agricultural practices, alongside Morocco and Egypt.
She said the programme focuses on producing more food with fewer resources, promoting safe use of agricultural technologies, and ensuring long-term sustainability in food production systems.
Simiyu noted that empowering young people with agricultural knowledge and modern technologies such as drones would help transform the sector and drive behavioral change in communities.
“If you want to know the future of a sector, look at the young people,” she said, adding that children can effectively spread messages on safe agricultural practices within their families and communities.
She called for the model being implemented in Kenya to be expanded across the country and replicated in other African nations, while urging greater collaboration among government agencies, schools, families, communities, and development partners.
Simiyu emphasized that agriculture should not be left to the Ministry of Agriculture alone, noting that all stakeholders have a role in nurturing the next generation of farmers.
“I want to challenge communities to invest more in youth-focused agricultural initiatives, considering agriculture is the backbone of Kenya’s economy and a critical driver of future growth,” Simiyu said.
The vice-chancellor of Egerton University, Prof. Isaac Ongubo Kibwage, said the university was hosting the 4K Club programme to nurture young people’s interest in agriculture and strengthen future food security and nutrition.
He noted that the initiative brings together students from 10 primary schools who are allocated small plots to grow crops representing key food groups, including starch, proteins, and vitamins.
Prof. Kibwage praised the learners for their commitment, noting that some crops, such as potatoes, are already mature while others, including cabbages, are nearing harvest. He said the produce would be shared within schools to promote lessons on food production, sharing, and responsibility.
He emphasized the importance of adapting agriculture to shrinking land sizes through kitchen and urban gardening, including balcony farming, to support household nutrition.
The Vice-Chancellor also commended the Faculty of Education and Community Studies and partners supporting the program, saying agriculture uptake in universities was improving, with growing student interest despite earlier challenges in secondary school subject performance.
He added that agriculture is increasingly gaining recognition as a viable and rewarding career, especially as urbanization and population growth intensify pressure on arable land, calling for more responsible land use and greater adoption of small-scale and urban farming solutions.
Aak Grow, Chief Executive Officer Joel Mutai, said the organization is rolling out a machine learning–driven agricultural stewardship initiative aimed at promoting responsible use of agricultural technologies and improving food safety across the country.
He said the programme is being implemented in partnership with the County Government of Nakuru, the Ministry of Agriculture, Egerton University, and other stakeholders to strengthen agronomic education among learners.
“The 4K Club initiative is helping young people adopt good agricultural practices early, positioning them as future ambassadors of safe farming within their communities and households,” he noted.
Mutai raised concerns over Kenya’s food security challenges, including reliance on imports and limited traceability of food sources, saying early agricultural education is key to addressing the gap.
“We want to build a generation that understands safe and sustainable food production from an early age,” he said.
He added that demonstration farms established through the programme are showcasing the application of good agronomic practices, with produce meeting expected safety standards.
The initiative, he said, is expected to be scaled up nationally to allow replication in other counties as part of efforts to strengthen agricultural training and youth participation.
Mutai further warned of the aging farming population, noting that the average age of farmers is about 64 years, a trend he said threatens future food production unless more youth are engaged in agriculture.
He called for a whole-society approach involving schools, government, religious institutions, and communities to promote sustainable agriculture, climate resilience, and food security.
The programme comes as stakeholders push to revitalize school-based agricultural clubs to inspire innovation and improve Kenya’s long-term agricultural productivity.
By Wangari Ndirangu
