200 students to travel to Israel for advance agricultural training
and Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Water, Sanitization and Irrigation,
Sicily Kariuki flag off Kenyan students journey to Israel. Looking on is the
Vice-chancellor, University of Nairobi, Prof. Stephen Kiama.
A record 200 students drawn from five higher education institutions in Kenya are set to travel to Israel for an 11-month Advanced Agricultural Training at the Arava International Centre for Agriculture Training (AICAT). 50 of the students are from the University of Nairobi.
Since 2016, when President Uhuru Kenyatta signed an MoU between Kenya and the State of Israel, Kenya has sent over 440 Agricultural students to the Arava International Centre for Agricultural Training (AICAT) to study an Advanced Diploma in Agriculture and Agribusiness.
The Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Water, Sanitization and Irrigation, Sicily Kariuki on Wednesday October 27, 2021 officially flagged off students.
She urged the students to turn the knowledge and skills they will acquire in Israel beyond white collar jobs and embrace self-employment and agripreneurship.
“I urge you to train other youth back at home and equip them with the skills that you will acquire in Israel when they return,” she said. “Kenyan students have been applauded for performing and excelling very well in the programme and this has led to an increase in the quota every year. I wish to congratulate the university/institutes coordinators involved in the selection of the students and wish the students the best.”
The Vice-chancellor, University of Nairobi, Prof. Stephen Kiama represented all the other Vice Chancellors from Egerton University, Kenyatta University, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, University of Embu and the Kenya Water Institute at the ceremony.
In his speech, Prof. Kiama appreciated the Israel Government for enrolling more students to the programme. He gave his commitment to ensure that the program succeeds and wished all the students well.
For the year 2021, Kenya was offered 200 slots which is the highest since the programme began, 50 being from UoN. It is a sign of confidence the Government of the State of Israel has with Kenya and this has cemented our bilateral relationship with Israel.
In 2017, UoN sent the first cohort of 10 students to Israel, in 2018, 15 students and in 2019, 19 students from the University of Nairobi's Faculty of Agriculture. Over the years, the number of students the University of Nairobi has sent to Israel has increased with 2020 being the year with the highest number of students from UoN that have qualified for the programme.
Other guests present at the ceremony were the Principal Secretary, Ministry of Water, Sanitation and Irrigation, Mr. Joseph Irungu, CAS Water, Sanitation & Irrigation, Dr. Andrew Tuimur, the Deputy Ambassador State of Israel in Kenya, Dvora Dorsman Yarkoni, Programme Coordinators from all Institutions sending students to Israel and representatives of the students.
