MODERNIZING KSA CURRICULUM TO ENTICE THE YOUTH

The government is modernizing the physical infrastructure and reviewing the curriculum at the Kenya School of Agriculture (KSA) to upgrade the training in line with new-age technology trends.

Proposed renovations will entail equipping the 10 campuses with modern technologies such as drones, Artificial Intelligence, and Information, Communication and Technology and leveraging big data to make critical decisions.

According to Agriculture and Livestock Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe, the government is also conducting training on market-needs assessment to review the curriculum accordingly.

Mutahi, who officially opened the International Floriculture Trade Expo (IFTEX) at Oshwal Hall in Nairobi County, said the government is also benchmarking and twinning with other centres of excellence worldwide, offering short-term, certified, marketable courses that meet the needs of a modern agricultural sector. “This, coupled with the agripreneurship training and last-mile deployment model that we are collaborating on with the county governments, is the only way that we shall incentivise our youth to get into agriculture and grow our agri-tech and business skills base,” Kagwe emphasized.

The Cabinet Secretary confirmed that KSA has, over the last few years, sent close to 500 students to the United Kingdom for the summer seasonal workers placement (SWP) programme to work and learn on UK farms for six months.