Nairobi — The government has intensified efforts to equip young people with modern agricultural skills through the establishment of 10 Kenya School of Agriculture campuses as part of the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA).

Agriculture Principal Secretary Kiprono Rono said the initiative is aimed at producing a new generation of skilled agripreneurs capable of driving food security, employment and economic growth.

Speaking during the groundbreaking of the 10th Agricultural Training Centre (ATC) in Wote, Makueni County, Rono said the ministry is repositioning agricultural education to meet growing demand for technical expertise in the sector.

He said the centres will offer practical, technology-driven training designed to produce commercial farmers rather than job seekers.

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"Today is more than the transfer of a public institution. It is a reaffirmation of our shared commitment to transforming agriculture through knowledge, innovation, partnerships and investment in human capital," he said.

The Wote groundbreaking comes days after the commissioning of the Pap Konam Agricultural Training Centre in Kisumu County into the Kenya School of Agriculture.

Rono said the programme aligns with the Agricultural Sector Transformation and Growth Strategy 2019-2029, which seeks to modernise farming, boost productivity, strengthen climate resilience and improve agricultural value chains.

He noted that agriculture contributed 23.2 per cent of Kenya's Gross Domestic Product in 2025, underscoring its importance to the country's economy.

The government plans to invest further in the campuses by expanding infrastructure, establishing modern laboratories and demonstration farms, strengthening digital learning and increasing partnerships with universities, research institutions and the private sector.