Posted on February, 26, 2024 at 07:42 am
Makueni County Government has in partnership with Anglican Development Services (ADS) Eastern Region invested Sh11 million to sponsor 480 trainees to equip them with agricultural skills at the Agricultural Training Centre (ATC) Kwa Kathoka.
Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation Executive Committee Member (ECM) Joyce Mutua said the training targets the youth and women to equip them with horticulture, dairy and poultry skills to enable them contribute to the food security in the county besides fending for themselves.
Mutua said this on Friday at Kwa Kathoka where she released 60 trainees to undergo 3 months industrial attachment to help them apply and sharpen their skills on the farms.
“The monies will cater for tuition fees, meals and exam fees for the last three months course work. The total cost will be Sh11 million whereby the county government contributed 40 percent and ADS 60 percent,” said Mutua.
“First cohort trainees comprises of 60 youths and 420 women farmers who have undergone comprehensive training on horticulture, dairy and poultry farming since November 2023,” said the ECM.
She disclosed that women farmers have had extensive training through farmer field schools from 16 tutors involved in the programme while adding that both groups would graduate in May 2024 after undergoing the three months industrial attachment.
“The 420 farmers have benefitted from field school programme that has enabled them acquire agricultural education after ATC tutore visited them at their homes,” she posed.
Mutua revealed that after the training, the trainees would write proposals in a bid to enable them benefit from the capital seed from the county government.
“We expect the trainees to write proposals in order to benefit from the capital seed to enable them jump start their business,” the ECM added.
Speaking at the same event, Agriculture Chief Officer (CO) Dr. Victoria Kyalo said that in future, trainees joining the programme would share the cost with the county government and partners to ensure sustainability of the programme for posterity.
Source: KNA