Narok: Israel is keen and willing to transfer agricultural technology to Kenya aimed at promoting innovative agricultural technologies to boost food production and mitigate the effect of climate change, its ambassador Mr. Gideon Behar has reiterated. Mr. Behar emphasized his country’s commitment to supporting Kenya Government’s initiatives towards boosting productivity, empowering smallholder farmers, and positioning Kenya as Africa’s agribusiness hub.
According to Kenya News Agency, Mr. Behar emphasized the importance of adopting smart and precision farming technologies, including artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things (IoT), and climate-smart solutions, to boost yields, reduce waste, and mitigate the effects of climate change. The envoy spoke when he inaugurated the ‘March for Israel Foundation’ in Narok Town, which is committed to promoting peace and cohesiveness among Kenyans ahead of next year’s General Election.
He stated that Africa has no option but to adopt climate-smart farming, including investing in irrigation, sustainable soil management, and agro-logistics to ensure productivity from farm to market. Mr. Behar further indicated that Israel is partnering with Kenya to build a national cyber defence system dubbed the ‘Cyber-Dome’. This partnership aims to defend Kenya’s state agencies, critical digital infrastructure, and private companies against a massive spike in hacking attempts and online threats.
The two nations, according to the envoy, are establishing joint research initiatives and early warning systems to flag and neutralize cyber threats before they cause damage. He noted that the ultimate goal of this collaboration is to help position Kenya as the cybersecurity hub for Eastern Africa. Kenya has faced a severe surge in digital attacks, with the Communications Authority reporting over 100 million cyber breaches within a single nine-month window. These attacks increasingly leverage AI-driven phishing, deep fakes, and vulnerable Internet of Things (IoT) devices, targeting public websites and financial sectors.
Experts indicate that Kenya faces a sharp talent deficit, graduating fewer than 2,000 cybersecurity professionals annually against a national market demand for 44,000 specialists. To bridge this gap, Israel has also supported private-public training initiatives in Nairobi, collaborating with various groups to upskill Kenyan IT workers. Mr. Behar pledged that Israel will continue partnering with Kenya, in exploring solutions that will make the two countries resilient in food supply even in unprecedented and challenging times.
While stating that a global economic crisis has made the world food insecure, Mr. Behar said it was important for the two countries to strive to achieve food security through agricultural practices and modern technologies that do not adversely affect the environment and the climate. The envoy pointed out that Kenya and Israel had signed agreements on irrigation and agriculture, in a move to strengthen ties between Nairobi and Tel Aviv. He said Israel was keen to partner with County Governments and explore ways of training farmers in the region on advancement of climate-smart technologies and best practices to improve productivity.
He singled out climate change, widespread global desertification, and water crises, and the extinction of animal and plant species as external factors that were affecting agriculture. The envoy said cooperation between Israel and the county government will facilitate skills and technology transfer that will boost local water technology, agriculture extension services and improve weather forecasting for farmers. Mr. Behar observed that tough climatic conditions had forced Israel to adapt creative technologies to bloom the desert, thus becoming a leader in innovative agriculture.
‘Moving to irrigated farming would increase the crop yield, save water and greenhouse gases, and, over time, create food security. It is worth noting that to date, most agricultural crops in many parts of the world are still grown by ‘dry farming’, that is farming that is reliant on rain,’ he observed. Mr. Behar pointed out that Kenya and Israel were also partnering in security, Information Technology, health, tourism, and trade sectors. Through the Israeli Agency for International Development Cooperation, hundreds of Kenyans have undergone training in water management, medicine, agriculture, and engineering.
‘March for Israel Foundation’ (MFIF) President Bishop Paul Karanja explained that the entity organizes faith-based public solidarity events, prayer rallies, and community outreach programs to support the nation and people of Israel and Kenya. Bishop Karanja noted that MFIF works closely with the Embassy of Israel in Kenya and Ambassador Behar to coordinate faith-based diplomacy, charity work, and people-to-people outreach programs. The MFIF President said they were redirecting their efforts towards promoting peaceful campaigns and harmonious existence of diverse political groups ahead of next year’s General Election.
Bishop Karanja urged Kenyans to uphold peace, foster national unity and reject tribal politics to safeguard the country’s cohesion. He called on Kenyans to shun ethnic divisions and embrace peaceful coexistence. Bishop Karanja pointed out that Kenya remains relatively peaceful and stable compared to some of its neighbors, many of which continue to grapple with political instability and economic hardships. ‘God has truly blessed Kenya. We have peace and stability, but sometimes we fail to appreciate these blessings. I humbly appeal to Kenyans to continue praying for our country,’ he added.
He cautioned political leaders against promoting ethnic divisions, warning against the resurgence of ethnic politics as leaders across the country step up engagements ahead of the 2027 General Election. Narok Pastors’ Fellowship Coordinator Bishop, Abraham Sitienei, pointed out that leaders have a responsibility to foster national unity and avoid utterances that could undermine peaceful coexistence among communities. ‘We will reject factional and ethnic-based politics and we will not stand by to watch people divide our country and take our country down the wrong path,’ he said.
Using Narok as an example, Bishop Sitienei said the county reflects peaceful coexistence among Kenya’s diverse communities, adding that leaders should protect such unity instead of exploiting ethnic differences for political gain. He warned against a return to politics that fuels ethnic animosity, recalling the violence that accompanied politically instigated divisions in the past. He said leaders should remain mindful of the country’s history and ensure political competition does not come at the expense of national cohesion.
Bishop Dr. Moses Sayo, the senior pastor and district bishop of the KAG Mega Church appealed to Kenyans to continue praying for the country, saying Kenya remains relatively stable despite political and economic challenges facing several countries in the region. According to Bishop Sayo, Kenya’s peace and stability should not be taken for granted, and citizens have a collective responsibility to preserve national cohesion. He also challenged leaders to inspire hope among citizens by pursuing policies that improve livelihoods instead of promoting divisive politics, saying development should remain the country’s priority.
The cleric affirmed that every Kenyan should always be responsible for maintaining peace, stability, and tranquility in the country. Dr. Sayo regretted that some people were fully dedicated to ‘paint our country black’ before the international community. ‘We must love our country more than anybody else outside Kenya,’ the bishop said. Bishop Sayo called on Kenyans to consider whether their actions mean well for the peace and unity of the country since our children are keen to copy what is done today.
‘If we destroy our country, where are we taking our children? If you destroy your country with your own hands, where will we raise our children? What will they get into?’ he posed. He noted ‘our children, who will be taking over leadership after our generation, must understand that patriotism supersedes personal ambitions. The praises and accolades Kenya receives outside our borders must not be underrated. We must be vigilant to ensure our country remains a haven of peace,’ he added.
‘When you hear the praises and accolades and profile of Kenya outside our borders, it’s outstanding, but then when you come in, you hear negativity from ourselves. If we don’t love ourselves, then who is going to love us?’ The clergyman told Kenyans to be patriotic and guard our borders so that our day-to-day businesses can continue thriving in a peaceful environment. ‘We must love our country, we must guard our security jealously because we know what is happening beyond our borders,’ he said.
Bishop Sayo urged leaders to uphold justice, respect democratic processes, and ensure every Kenyan has an opportunity to participate freely in elections.
