More than 390 students from the Kenya School of Agriculture will travel to the United Kingdom for six-month paid internships aimed at equipping them with modern farming skills while providing income during their stay. The students, drawn from the school’s Nyeri and Thika campuses, will be placed on farms and agricultural institutions across England, Wales, and Scotland. The program is backed by the Ministry of Agriculture and is part of the government’s effort to boost youth employment through international job placements.
Speaking at the Nyeri campus on Thursday, Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe said the initiative reflects the Kenya Kwanza administration’s plan to open global job markets to young Kenyans under the “Kazi Majuu” strategy.
“We want young people to take agriculture seriously,” CS Kagwe said. “Those going to the UK must represent Kenya well. Anyone claiming we are not creating jobs is ignoring facts we are creating them both here and abroad.”
CS Kagwe explained that the internships were structured to combine practical training with real-world work experience, allowing students to earn income while learning advanced farming techniques.
Nyeri Senator Wahome Wamatinga, a former beneficiary of a similar program, praised the move and called for wider acceptance of labor mobility. “It is outdated to think we should only train youth for local jobs,” he said. “We are part of a global economy. Sending young people abroad to work is part of the solution to unemployment.”
Nyeri Town MP Duncan Maina, whose own son works in Germany, also endorsed the initiative and dismissed criticism from opposition politicians. “Some of those condemning this program have relatives working overseas. That’s hypocrisy,” he said.
The internship plan adds to a series of government programs designed to send skilled Kenyan youth to global labor markets. According to the Ministry of Labor, over 400,000 Kenyans have secured jobs abroad since 2023 under bilateral labor agreements.
The UK internship rollout targets students studying agronomy, horticulture, livestock management, agribusiness, and agricultural engineering. According to school officials, participants were selected based on academic performance and readiness for overseas deployment.
The program also serves to align Kenya’s agricultural education with global standards while exposing students to new technologies and farming practices. Kenya School of Agriculture administrators said they expect a second cohort of students to join the program in early 2026.
With agriculture remaining the backbone of Kenya’s economy, the government has emphasized youth involvement in modern farming to address food security and unemployment. This internship program is intended to build a new generation of skilled professionals ready to contribute both locally and internationally.
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