The Kenyan government is set to build the Kenya School of Agriculture (KSA) in Makueni County, aiming to cultivate skilled human capital essential for modernizing agriculture and enhancing food and nutrition security in the region.
State Department for Agriculture Principal Secretary (PS) Dr. Paul Kipronoh Ronoh said the government will spend Sh100 million to put up the KSA Makueni Campus.
The school will bring quality agricultural training closer to wananchi and equip farmers, extension officers, youth and agripreneurs with practical knowledge and modern skills needed to build a robust agricultural sector, Ronoh said.
This occasion represents an exciting milestone for Makueni County and the broader Lower Eastern region. “It’s crucial to highlight the Government’s dedication to enhancing agricultural education, innovation, and skills development, which are essential for ensuring food security, creating jobs, and driving economic transformation,” Ronoh stated after laying the foundation stone for KSA Makueni College on Tuesday.
“This campus will equip farmers, extension officers, youth, and agripreneurs with practical knowledge and modern skills required for a competitive agricultural sector. It will also provide a seamless progression pathway for learners under the Competency-Based Education and Training (CBET) framework, enabling students completing Level 3 programmes at Makueni Agricultural Training Centre to advance locally to Levels 4, 5, and 6,” he added.
He said the college will cater to the training of serving officers and students who have completed form four and added that the institution will offer certificate and diploma courses, noting the contractor PCI Engineering will complete the works by November this year.
Ronoh further said the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development is committed to implementing the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), saying agriculture contributed 23.2 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2025.
“Agriculture remains the backbone of Kenya’s economy, contributing approximately 23.2 percent of GDP in 2025 while supporting millions of livelihoods,” he observed.
“To unlock its full potential, we must embrace modern, climate-smart, and technology-driven agriculture through mechanization, irrigation, value addition, agribusiness, artificial intelligence, and sustainable management of our resources,” Ronoh stated.
At the same time, the PS said that the campus will stimulate economic growth by creating employment, attract investment and strategic partnerships, and promote agribusiness, hence positioning Makueni as a hub for agricultural innovation and entrepreneurship.
“Above all, it will empower farmers to transition from subsistence farming to commercial-oriented, climate-resilient, and value-added agriculture, leading to higher productivity, increased incomes, and improved livelihoods,” he said.
He lauded the county government of Makueni for the collaboration besides providing land to construct the school of agriculture, adding that they are committed to developing the campus into a centre of excellence for agriculture training, innovation, youth agribusiness incubation, and entrepreneurship for the Lower Eastern region and beyond.
Ronoh said that the national government was ready to support Makueni County farmers with cotton and sunflower seeds so that they can plant with a view to boosting farming of the crops in the area and hence generate income for farmers.
The PS also challenged the farmers in the county to plant coffee, saying it was a lucrative crop that is being sold for up to Sh150 per kilogram.
“Coffee from Kenya is one of the best in the world. We are not meeting the needs of the market through what we produce. If you want to get rich, start to plant coffee that sells at Sh150 per kilo,” said Ronoh.
Makueni Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr. called upon the national government to find a market for farm produce, especially mangoes, in an effort to ensure farmers gained maximum profits and hence avoid exploitation by unscrupulous middlemen.
Mutula urged the national government to complete the construction of the Thwake multi-purpose dam that will provide water to enable the farmers in Makueni to do irrigation to enhance food production and hence boost food security in the county.
“The people of Makueni are hardworking; they only require water to do irrigation. We can feed the whole country if we get water,” Mutula said.
Governor Mutula welcomed the construction of the KSA, saying it is a game changer in the region, and challenged the youth to take advantage and enroll at the college to get skills that would make them fend for themselves.
Present at the function were Deputy County Commissioner (DCC) Peter Kimani; Acting County Executive Committee Member for Agriculture Damaris Kavoi; and her counterpart for Education, Japheth Mang’oka, among other government officials.
