Kirinyaga: Kirinyaga Agricultural Technical and Vocational Education Training Centre in Kamweti hosted the County’s annual farmers’ field day, attracting a large crowd of exhibitors and participants. The event, themed ‘Advancing Agricultural Innovations for Sustainable Livelihoods,’ brought together agricultural stakeholders, including farmers, cooperatives, agro-processors, and financial institutions, as well as students from various primary, secondary, and tertiary learning institutions, all seeking advancement in the agriculture field.
According to Kenya News Agency, the platform provided farmers with valuable knowledge on best agricultural practices, modern farming techniques, value addition, and financial inclusion. Speaking at the event, Dr. John Gachara, the County Executive Committee Member (CECM) for Agriculture, Livestock, Veterinary, and Fisheries, lauded the turnout and the diversity of exhibitors present. ‘We are happy to have such a good turnout because it provides an opportunity for knowledge exchange among the various stakeholders, especially our farmers who are going to learn more on value addition and processing,’ said Dr. Gachara.
He emphasized the county’s focus on value addition, stating that it is the best way to assure farmers of reaping maximum benefits from their produce. The exhibition provided an opportunity for farmers to connect with potential value addition and processing partners, as well as financing institutions that support value addition enterprises. Farmers expressed their gratitude for the initiative, citing the significant impact such training has on their productivity and profitability.
John Mwangi, Chairman of the National Agricultural Value Chain Development Project (NAVCDP), praised the institution’s role in enhancing agricultural growth in Kirinyaga. ‘Kamweti institution has brought a lot of growth to Kirinyaga’s agricultural sector because all the farmers who have come here have gotten to learn a lot,’ said Mwangi. He noted that coffee farmers had received training on optimizing their harvests for better profits, while farmers specializing in horticultural produce, such as tomatoes and cabbages, were educated on value addition.
Maureen Wakio from Mukure Ward noted that the opportunity had sharpened her coffee farming skills. ‘We are here to get training on coffee farming and to enhance our skills in new coffee farming techniques. We know that this training will help us improve our harvests, as we know that the secret to profitable coffee farming is increased yields,’ she noted. Lydia Njeri, another farmer, expressed her gratitude for the opportunity to learn best practices in rabbit, poultry, livestock, fish, and maize farming. ‘I have also gained knowledge about tuber crop farming, which I am looking forward to trying, as well as value addition techniques such as turning sweet potatoes into crisps and using carrots to bake cakes,’ she said.
The Annual Field Day is part of the county government’s commitment to enhancing agricultural innovation and empowering farmers with the knowledge and tools necessary for sustainable livelihoods, as agriculture is the backbone of the Kirinyaga economy. The Wezesha Kirinyaga Program, whose main focus is supporting farmers to increase production of various value chains, is now adopting and leveraging technology and innovation on production, marketing, value addition, and processing.
Last year, Governor Anne Waiguru assented to the Kirinyaga County Agricultural Technical and Vocational Education and Training (ATVET) Centre Act, 2023, providing a legal framework for Kamweti training center’s administration as well as funding to meet its training and research objectives. The ATVET is now on the path to providing effective competency-based training, research, technology transfer, and agricultural development.
