Thousands of Kenyan students start building agricultural skills via Turkish project

By Andrew Wasike

NAIROBI, Kenya (AA) - Turkey's state-run aid agency launched a project at four Kenyan schools Thursday to support an initiative aiming to imbue students with skills in agriculture and agribusiness.

Turkey became the first country to assist Kenya in the initiative, launched by the East African nation's President Uhuru Kenyatta in June, aiming to teaching schoolchildren the importance of a positive mindset towards agriculture.

At a cost of close to $40,000, the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) on Thursday conducted a greenhouse and micro-gardening project in four boarding secondary schools in the capital Nairobi.

The project involved installing a greenhouse at each school, complete with a water tank, drip irrigation system, seedlings, and other gardening materials. Additionally, each school received four micro-gardening units and benches for use in studies.

Turkish Ambassador Ahmet Cemil Miroglu and TIKA Kenya Country Director Eyup Yavuz Umutlu were present at the handover ceremony, attended by students and their teachers, along with representatives from the Nairobi County Assembly's Committee on Agriculture, among other stakeholders.

The project will enable students to receive hands-on learning on agriculture and agribusiness, broadening their vision on small-scale farming, which can be carried out even in small spaces in urban settings, as demonstrated by the innovative model created by local contractors.

Speaking at the event, Miroglu said the students and schools' staff would be able to consume the fresh produce from their greenhouse and micro-gardens.

For his part, Umutlu asked students who often shy away from agriculture as a subject to "embrace this innovative project which will give them practical and hands-on knowledge and skills in agriculture."

He encouraged them to get their hands dirty and ensure the project is a success, as this would determine whether other schools around the country would benefit from the upscaling of the project.

Turkey's aid to Kenya will help in developing youth talent in agriculture as an important way to ensure food security in the country.