STUDENTS GET LESSONS FOR BETTER CAREER CHOICES IN AGRICULTURE

Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) Kenya representative, Dr Gabriel Rugalema, 4-H Kenya Founding Director, Annie Nyaga, and 4-H Kenya officials view a llama during a farm tour. PHOTO | LEOPOLD OBI | NATION MEDIA GROUP 

By LEOPOLD OBI

Students aspiring to be farmers can now get more skills and training on the subject through a new program recently launched in schools with an aim of enticing youths into agriculture.

The program known as 4-H, launched as a partnership between Egerton University and 4-H Kenya foundation- a not for profit organization, aims at changing the attitude of the youth towards agriculture by creating fun driven 4-H clubs in schools.

The program as a result exposes pupils to careers in agriculture, agribusiness, entrepreneurship, innovations and leadership skills through agricultural activities, the program’s director explained.

Annie Nyaga, 4-H Founding Director, notes that through the program they have worked with 7,076 youths across 162 schools in five counties- Embu, Kitui, Makueni, Machakos, and Nairobi to influence them into agriculture.

“The responsibility of feeding the nation cannot be met by a few individuals as a result by there is need for collective contribution of all stakeholders in nurturing the interests and perception of future generations in a way that appeals to them,”

TACKLE CHALLENGES

According to Annie, besides gaining knowledge on farming, the program opens learners minds enabling them to become innovative enough to tackle challenges such as food security, environmental degradation, market exploitation and poverty reduction.

Annies says that the 4-H programs have taken root in 13 countries in Africa including Angola, Cameroon, Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Namibia, Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda, South Africa and Zambia.

“These programs are preparing the world’s young people to meet urgent global needs, including hunger, sustainable livelihoods, and food security,” she pointed out adding that through 4-H, pupils are exposed to agricultural activities early enough so that they can identify more career opportunities in the agricultural sector.
SOURCE: NATION MEDIA/SEEDSOFGOLD