Government to establish National Farmers Training Centre in Nakuru

By Caroline Nyakio (KNA)

The National Government will establish a National Farmers Training Centre at Marindas in Kuresoi North Sub-County in Nakuru.

The centre will help farmers to acquire modern agricultural skills and technologies and boost food security and agricultural productivity.

The proposed facility will be established at the newly commissioned Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO) Seed Potato Production Centre, a 600-acre facility expected to serve as a hub for potato seed research and production.

It will bring agricultural research, extension services and practical training closer to farmers.The centre was officially commissioned by Principal Secretary for the State Department for Agriculture Dr Paul Rono, who said the government would use the facility to strengthen seed research and production while creating a national platform for farmer training.

Rono said the planned National Farmers Training Centre would bridge the gap between agricultural research and farmers by providing practical training on modern production technologies, climate resilience, value addition and other emerging areas of agriculture.

“Our focus is to ensure that agricultural research does not remain within research institutions but reaches the farmer and translates into increased productivity, better incomes and improved food security,” said Rono.

He said the proposed centre would provide a platform where farmers from across the country could access practical knowledge, interact with researchers and adopt technologies that respond to challenges experienced on their farms.

Rono noted that the Marindas facility would also strengthen the production and distribution of quality potato planting materials while supporting research aimed at improving yields and addressing diseases affecting the crop.

He said the government would continue investing in research and farmer training to ensure technologies developed by research institutions are translated into practical solutions that could be adopted by farmers.

Nakuru Deputy Governor Dr David Kones welcomed the establishment of the training centre, saying it would complement the county government’s efforts to strengthen farmer capacity and promote modern agricultural practices.