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A farmer training workshop was held for 40 farmers drawn from ten eastern and central Kenya counties of Kiambu, Nyandarua, Makueni, Kitui, Embu, and Machakos, among other counties at the Fairview hotel, Nairobi, Kenya. The training was graced by Prof. Dominique Njinkeu, Interim Executive Director, AERC and attended by Prof. Moses Nyangito, Dean, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Nairobi, among other officials. The training was conducted by Ms. Kista Ogot Nyarwegi and Mr. Martin Mugambi, Ministry of Agriculture, Nairobi, Kenya. The training was moderated by Prof. Jonathan Nzuma, Head of the Department of Agricultural economics, University of Nairobi, and dr. Lucy Karega of the same department. The thrust of the training was farming as a business to commercialize Kenyan agriculture from subsistence to profitable ventures adequately supporting food and nutrition security, and for income security. Some of the topics covered were good agricultural practices, credit sources and management, financial literacy, investing in agribusiness, and frontiers of agribusiness innovations, among others.

The training culminated in a visit to various departments of the College of Agriculture and Veterinary Sciences, University of Nairobi, including Agricultural Economics, Food Science and Technology, Biosystems Engineering, Veterinary Sciences, and the library. The farmers also had an opportunity to attend the joint open week at the Food Crops Research Centre, Muguga, a research station under the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO). The event was hosted by the Government of Kenya, KALRO and KOrea Partnership for Innovation of Agriculture (KOPIA). The theme was Transformative agricultural technology, innovation and management practices for food and nutrition security, income and climate resilience. The participating institutes included Biotechnology Research Institute, Genetic Resources Research Institute, Veterinary Research Institute, and Food Crops Research Institute. The farmers attended various demonstration units including poultry, horticulture, pasture, maize, root crops, herbs and spices, and greenhouses.

 

 

Various varieties of sweet potatoes at the Food Crops Research Institute, Muguga