The Miyare Agricultural Training Institute in Rongo, Migori, has been given a Sh10 million upgrade to help farmers tackle climate change and improve production.
The upgrade, which also seeks to digitise agriculture, was funded by the Royal Danish Embassy.
The money was used to train six trainers who will be offering online courses, renovating the computer lab, buying computers, power backups and other equipment.
The funding also helped renovate a training hall and a dining hall.
The Migori government has also built a Sh9.3 million hostel at the institution and equipped it with Sh2.1 million which was part of the donation from the Danish embassy.
County Agriculture executive Lucas Mosenda said they have further constructed a modern zero grazing unit for dairy and value addition.
He spoke when Mogens Larsen from the Royal Danish Embassy handed over the project.
“We will be able to train farmers in dairy, poultry, fish farming and horticulture sectors in short courses and online,” Mosenda said.
He said with climate change, farmers will have a one-stop-centre to learn aquaponics, which combines the farming of fish and growing of crops.
Mosenda said the aquaponics system, which uses limited water for both fish and crop farming, will help tackle drought.
“We will also be able to have youth and farmers groups work online using mobile applications to help get information and markets,” Mosenda said.
Larsen said the Kenyan government plans to tackle climate change and include youth in agriculture by upgrading training institutes in counties.
“Farming happen in rural areas and such institutes will help impact information on climate change among rural communities and youth,” he said.
The Miyare Agricultural Training Institute has been helping farmers from Homa Bay, Migori, Kisii, Narok and Nyamira counties. It is built on 25 acres.
