Farmers urged to embrace smart agriculture to boost food security

Michael Mutabi waters cabbages at Wambugu Agriculture Training Centre demo farm in Nyeri County on July 20, 2026. [Purity Mwangi, Standard]

Farmers from Mt Kenya and other regions have been urged to embrace smart agriculture, new technologies and farm machinery to enhance food security and sustainability.

Through an initiative where Wambugu Agriculture Training Centre, in collaboration with Nyeri County Government, holds an annual stakeholder field day on July 26 and 27, 2026, the farmers have been invited to come and learn new farming technologies and interact with suppliers of seeds, equipment, pesticides, and service providers, among others during the annual exhibition.

The Wambugu Agriculture Training Centre chief principal, David Kariuki, said that this year's field day at Wambugu farm has attracted more than 120 stakeholders and over 19,000 farmers.

The field day will be held under the theme "enhancing technologies through private public partnership to attain economic empowerment and food security."

Speaking in his office at Wambugu farm on Monday Kariuki said that there are many opportunities in agriculture which pay well and appealed to the youth to embrace agriculture as source of livelihood.

"Agriculture pays, there are many opportunities that young people can earn income through the value chain. Just check where to fit in, you can be a farmer or service provider within the space know your strength," he said.

The principal said that the annual field day that started 20 years ago as a small event with few farmers within the area has grown to a big exhibition that attracts many farmers within the county and beyond, creating a visible impact.

"Stakeholders have increased sales and expanded their businesses and the farmers make follow-up within the institution after the field day," he added.

Kariuki said that now farmers are aware of improved crop varieties and new technologies that improve yields. 

However, he admitted that climate change is a challenge that all the stakeholders in agriculture need to tackle and embrace conservation methods in farming.

"We cannot predict the rain pattern hence there is need to conserve our environment, use proper water harvesting methods, conserve and use it for irrigation to continue farming throughout the year to attain food security and stop relying only on rain-fed agriculture," Kariuki said.

The principal noted that farmers will be trained on the use of natural energy, including solar energy, to improve productivity, recycling farm bi-products and use of biogas.

He emphasized that value addition in agricultural products is essential as it adds shelf life of a product and creates job opportunities directly and indirectly.

Kariuki explained that agri-business is a self-employment opportunity that can secure financial sustainability, especially in agriculture-based areas.

Kariuki revealed that fruit trees can be used as a long-term investment which requires little energy but can sustain a farmer all throughout in his or her life.

The annual Wambugu Agriculture Training Centre stakeholder field day brings together stakeholders holders including animal health and feed companies, agriculture extension service providers, seed companies, agrochemicals companies, agro-processing organisations, agriculture financial institutions, universities and research organisations, environment conservation and soil testing organisations, farm machinery service providers, CBOs and farm groups, among others.