President Uhuru Kenyatta, on Friday officially launched the 4K-(Agricultural) Clubs which will be implemented across all schools in Kenya.
Speaking at the launch of the two initiatives at Jamhuri Park in Nairobi County President Kenyatta said ENABLE Kenya and 4-K Clubs fit into the many farmer empowerment initiatives being implemented by the State among them the Aquaculture Business Development Programme that is being rolled out in 15 counties.
“In addition, I note with appreciation the prioritization of initiatives to build capacity in modern agribusiness technologies and to provide access to affordable and high-quality inputs.
“I note also that numerous on-going agricultural projects have integrated components for the youth; and a number of them have been designed and specifically tailor-made for the youth,” President Kenyatta said.
The clubs, which died in the early 1990s, engaged in sustainable agriculture through hands-on activities in the schools’ demonstration gardens.
Keeping rabbits, chickens, goats, and growing horticultural crops for lessons and schools were some of the agricultural activities that ended up generating some income.
Over the last 20 years, there have been efforts to revive the clubs at primary school levels but without a national steering plan.
The Chief Administrative Secretary (CAS) in the Agriculture Ministry Anne Nyaga, who will be spearheading the programme under the stewardship of CS Peter Munya, welcomed the reintroduction of the 4K clubs saying it will enable all children to gain access to knowledge of agriculture.
The launch is set to take place at the ASK Show Grounds along Ngong Road, Nairobi on Friday, June 4, 2021, and will be attended by several Governors, key stakeholders, invited students, and other dignitaries.
The 4-K clubs empowered learners to acquire a basic introduction to farming concepts at the primary school level. Using school gardens, pupils were taught how to tend to crops and rear animals.
“The return of the 4-K Clubs will focus on the value chains in the agricultural activities and include other thematic areas namely Environmental Conservation, Healthy Living & Nutrition, Civic Engagement, and Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics (STEM).
“The 4-K Clubs will provide a holistic approach to positive youth development (PYD) at home, school, and the community by building on the strength of the youth as active agents to community development,” says the Ministry of Agriculture.
The 4-K Clubs are expected to go hand in hand with the newly rolled out Competence Based Curriculum (CBC) and are also said to be in line with the government’s Big 4 agenda.
“This initiative is in line with the Big 4 Agenda, particularly with regard to food and nutrition security, and seeks to incorporate children’s participation in its rollout and implementation,” adds the Ministry.
The dispatch said towards the realization of greater food and nutritional security, the Cabinet considered the Agriculture Policy, which positions crop diversification and irrigation as the two main planks for both enhanced food production as well as improved earnings for farmers.
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