The Ministry of Agriculture has flagged off 162 Kenyan youth from the Kenya School of Agriculture (KSA) headed to the United Kingdom under the Government of Kenya-United Kingdom Seasonal Workers Scheme (SWS).
State Department for Agriculture Principal Secretary (PS) Dr. Kipronoh Ronoh explained that the Seasonal Workers Scheme is one of the many Youth Employment and Labour Mobility Initiatives that the Government of Kenya under the leadership of president William Ruto has been pursuing since coming into office in 2022.
In a speech read on his behalf by the Secretary of Administration, Harun Khator, the PS highlighted that the Kenya School of Agriculture is among the few participating Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions in Kenya and in Africa.
“The Kenya Kwanza Administration came into office with a commitment to transform the economy through the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA).
BETA targets sectors with the highest impact to drive economic recovery and growth and propensity to create jobs for the youthful populace. Agriculture sector is one of the sectors with a multiplier effect and potential to create and generate jobs in addition to providing food and nutrition security,” explained Dr. Ronoh.
The PS highlighted that today’s agriculture is changing and highly technology driven and the youth must therefore be trained and technologically empowered to competitively participate at all levels of the value chains.
Dr. Ronoh said in order to continually develop skilled and empowered youths, the Government has invested in institutional capacity development at the Kenya School of Agriculture (KSA) main campus and satellite campuses in various regions of the country. These investments are expected to support the training and competency development of youths in various fields in Agriculture.
“As a testimony to the success of these government interventions of ‘youth in agriculture empowerment”, the Kenya School of Agriculture is currently offering Competency-Based Education and Training (CBET) in Horticultural Production Courses, which equips trainees with skills demanded in the job market within the country and beyond, as well as for self-employment,” said the PS.
He added that since 2023 to date, KSA has dispatched a total of 392 students who have been successfully recruited to work in UK farms under the Seasonal Workers Scheme programme.
According to the PS, the trainees are a strong vouch for the successful training offered at the Kenya School of Agriculture.
“You have now been competently trained at KSA and are now set to explore opportunities and put your expertise into practical use in the United Kingdom,” he said.
Dr. Ronoh highlighted that apart from furthering practical learning in England and Scotland Farms, where they have been placed, the trainees will also earn a few sterling pounds for the six months that they will be attached to these farms, which is a double benefit for them.
“As you take the flight to the UK, remember to make a good account of your time there and carry the auspicious name of our lovely Country – Kenya,” advised the PS.
By Joseph Ng’ang’a
