Kenya sends 210 agricultural trainees to Israel

First lady Rachel Ruto during the trainees' send-off ceremony held at State House on Tuesday, August 15. [Twitter, Rachel Ruto]

Kenya has sent 210 agriculture trainees to Israel on an 11-month airlift program under Mashav Agricultural Training Program.

Mashav Fellows is a 54-year-old program sponsored by the Israel government in collaboration with the Kenyan government.

The trainees will be equipped with technical agricultural skills from the Arava International Centre for Agricultural Training (AICAT) located in Arava desert, Southern Israel.

While speaking during the trainees' send-off ceremony held at State House on Tuesday, August 15, First Lady Rachel Ruto urged the trainees to take advantage of the opportunity and develop their skills.

"The knowledge you will gain in Israel is not meant to be confined to you. I hope you will return to Kenya equipped with new skills, fresh perspectives and a burning desire to contribute to the betterment of our nation and the world at large," said the first lady.

According to Mama Ruto, the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA) prioritises agriculture and the training centre will equip the students with skills to develop Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASALs).

"The goal is to give these young, educated, and skilled individuals a chance to become successful agri-preneurs by providing innovative solutions on food production and food security in Kenya," said Drova Dorsman Yarkoni, the Deputy Head of Mission of Israel in Kenya

Kenya has been making huge steps in setting up training grounds abroad for students with 40 students being sent to Finland to further their studies.

These students are expected to leave the country anytime this week in order to start their education in September.