The Uganda National Farmer’s Federation (UNFF), in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, and the Ministry of Education and Sports, has initiated a program to promote agribusiness practices among students. The aim is to equip learners with the necessary skills to become job creators in the agricultural sector after completing their education.
As part of this initiative, both ministries have organized a six-day national agricultural educational show in Jinja city. The event will feature successful agribusiness owners and agri-technology innovators who will educate learners about modern farming techniques.
More than 100,000 students and pupils from 2,000 schools across the country are expected to participate in this year’s educational show, where the focus will be on modern farming practices and affordable agricultural technologies that cater to the needs of young people.
George Mutekanga, the assistant commissioner in charge of private schools and institutions of higher learning, emphasizes that agriculture is the mainstay of Uganda’s economy, but its success relies heavily on the elderly population. Therefore, it is crucial to involve young people in the country’s most productive sector.
The Ministry of Education has integrated agriculture into 28 vocational skills, including dairy farming, poultry farming, piggery, and fish farming. Expert trainers from the Directorate of Industrial Training will take advantage of the large number of learners gathered at the show to teach them viable agricultural skills that can contribute to their future careers in the agricultural sector.
Mutekanga further explains that introducing agricultural skills at the primary level is essential for nurturing students’ interest and setting them on a path to academic excellence in the agricultural field throughout their secondary school education. The current practical skills curriculum at the lower secondary levels aims to encourage students to embrace agricultural skills from an early age.
Consistently organizing agricultural exhibitions tailored to students’ interests, focusing on production returns, online agricultural marketing, and related technologies, will attract more young people to the industry, according to Mutekanga. By instilling a practical mindset change, the youth can shift from relying solely on white-collar jobs to considering agriculture as a viable alternative for their livelihoods.
Perez Kawubi, the deputy CEO of UNFF, states that students from 40 selected schools across the country will showcase agricultural technologies during the exhibition. They will have the opportunity to exchange ideas and explore agribusiness opportunities within their communities alongside students from other learning institutions.
–URN
