The Nairobi International Trade Fair is once again turning Jamhuri Park into a meeting point for agriculture, business, technology, education and innovation, as exhibitors and visitors converge for the 2026 edition running from September 28 to October 4.
For many visitors, the fair may appear as a week-long exhibition filled with agricultural machinery, livestock, products, colourful stands and technological displays. But behind the activity is a history spanning more than a century, making the Nairobi show one of Kenya’s longest-running platforms for bringing producers, institutions, businesses, and the public together.
In retrospect, the Agricultural Society of Kenya (ASK) traces its origins to December 1901, when it was established as the East African Agricultural and Horticultural Society. Its first show was held on February 26, 1902, at Jeevanjee Gardens and Market in Nairobi. What began primarily as an agricultural and horticultural exhibition has since developed into a much broader platform reflecting the changing face of Kenya’s economy.
The Nairobi branch eventually evolved into what is now the Nairobi International Trade Fair, with the event formally becoming a trade fair in 2002. This transformation mirrors a wider economic shift. Agriculture remains central to Kenya’s economy and to the identity of the ASK show, but the modern exhibition has expanded to accommodate manufacturing, finance, education, technology, research, entrepreneurship, media, and other sectors.
Presently, the 2026 edition is being held under the theme ‘Promoting Climate Smart Agriculture and Trade Initiatives for Sustainable Economic Growth’. The theme places climate resilience and economic development at the centre of an event that has traditionally been strongly associated with agriculture.
That focus is increasingly relevant as farmers and businesses face changing weather patterns, rising production costs, and pressure to improve productivity. The fair therefore provides a physical space where some of the technologies being developed to respond to these challenges can be demonstrated to the public.
Recent reports have highlighted the growing presence of drones, artificial intelligence and other technologies at the Nairobi Trade Fair, illustrating how farming is increasingly becoming connected to digital innovation. The technologies on display show that modern agriculture is no longer defined only by land, seeds and machinery; data, automation and digital systems are becoming part of the production process.
Education is another important component of the exhibition. Schools, universities and tertiary institutions participate through exhibitions, demonstrations and competitive judging, giving learners an opportunity to present practical skills and innovations outside the conventional classroom environment.
Specifically, ASK’s 2026 judging framework includes categories covering universities, tertiary institutions, educational research, innovation and interpretation of the show’s theme. The competitions have therefore become more than a contest for institutional recognition. They provide an opportunity for students and institutions to demonstrate how education can be connected to practical solutions and industry needs.
The significance of institutional participation can also be seen through previous editions. In 2025, for instance, Kenyatta University emerged as the Best University Stand and Best Overall Education and Research Stand, while the University of Nairobi recorded several first-place awards in the 2024 edition.
Such competitions give the fair another layer of importance. They create a platform where students are not merely consumers of knowledge but can become exhibitors, innovators, and communicators of ideas. A project developed within an institution can be presented before industry players, government officials, potential partners, and thousands of members of the public.
Beyond education, the fair brings together a diverse range of institutions and companies under one roof. Farmers can interact with technology providers, businesses can engage potential customers, researchers can showcase their work, and entrepreneurs can search for markets and partnerships.
This interaction is one of the less visible but important functions of the trade fair. An exhibition stand may only occupy a few metres of space, but the conversations taking place around it can potentially lead to business connections, knowledge exchange, employment opportunities or the adoption of a new technology.
The event is also an important platform for businesses to demonstrate products directly to consumers. Unlike conventional advertising, where audiences mainly receive information through screens, newspapers or other media, the trade fair allows visitors to see, touch, and sometimes test products while engaging directly with exhibitors.
The expected large attendance further increases the significance of the platform. Previous ASK shows have attracted hundreds of thousands of visitors, demonstrating the continued public interest in the event and its ability to bring together people from different sectors and parts of the country.
Yet perhaps the most important story told by the Nairobi Trade Fair is its transformation over time. The exhibition that began in 1902 in a much smaller and very different Nairobi now operates in an economy where artificial intelligence, digital platforms, climate technology, and advanced manufacturing are increasingly shaping production and trade.
The fair has therefore remained relevant not simply because it has survived for more than a century, but because it has repeatedly adapted to the society around it. Its agricultural foundation remains visible, while its expanding focus on technology, education, research, and trade reflects the direction in which Kenya’s economy is moving.
From its first exhibition at Jeevanjee Gardens in 1902 to today’s expansive gathering at Jamhuri Park, the Nairobi Trade Fair represents more than a historical tradition. It is a meeting point between Kenya’s agricultural heritage and its technological future, a place where products are displayed, ideas are tested, institutions compete, and partnerships are created.
As visitors move from one stand to another during this year’s exhibition, they are therefore seeing more than products and innovations. They are encountering a changing picture of Kenya itself: a country still deeply rooted in agriculture, but increasingly looking towards technology, education, innovation, and trade as instruments for building a more sustainable economy.
by John Brighton
