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.
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.
//Cue in: “Uganda has almost…
Cue out…twenty-eight vocations,”//
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.
//Cue in: “We have so…
Cue out…address these concerns,”//
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.
