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Thousands of young people including learners have flocked to the second edition of the National Agricultural Education Show 2023 in Jinja City to learn various innovative ideas and enterprises showcased by different primary and secondary schools.

The education show organized by the Uganda National Farmers Federation (UNFFE) in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF) and Ministry of Education and Sports (MOES), under the theme “Empowering Young Ugandan Agripreneurs,” started on July 11 and is expected to end on July 15th.

The Minister of State, Fred Bwiino Kyakulaga, officially launched the education show for Agriculture at the National Agricultural Showgrounds in Jinja City. 

Kyakulaga, who was accompanied by the President of UNFFE Dick Kamuganga, and George Mutekanga the Assistant Commissioner in charge of private schools and institutions of higher learning, among others inspected various exhibition stalls of different schools which exhibited new technology skills and innovations.

In his remarks, after visiting the stalls, Kyakulaga conveyed apologies from the First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Janet Museveni, who was expected to officially open the education show but did not turn up due to other committed State duties.

Kyakulaga revealed that the Ministry of Education has arranged in such a way that the Directorate of Industrial Training goes to the schools, assesses the students in various skills and awards them with certificates in those skills.

He further revealed that the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries has also come up with a program they call Agriculture Mobilisation and Education which will target the farming community in the country.

The President of UNFFE, Dick Kamuganga, thanked the Ministry of Agriculture’s efforts in creating the National Agriculture Education Show, a platform that benefits students.

Kamuganga also requested Minister Kyakulaga to use his whip and ensure that every government entity embraces the National Agricultural Educational Transformation platform.

Dr. Kassim Sadik, the Deputy Director General in charge of Agricultural Technology Promotion at the National Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO), said NARO has demonstrated a package of resilient technologies and exhibited forestry and livestock technologies at the education show.

Sadik said researchers at the NARO stall explained to young people about soil science where soil is a living echo system for nourishing the crops for the children to understand that for them to go into sustainable agriculture, they should know how they should treat and nourish the soil and control it from degrading factors.

Jinja Mayor Alton Kasolo was impressed by the new agricultural technology innovations that were displayed by the students and requested the government to protect the show grounds from land grabbers, adding that the grounds are under a big threat.

Emily Arayo, from NARO, said they exhibited technologies from different research institutes under NARO adding that they also exhibited cross-cutting technologies like soil science.

Kyazike Shafrah, a senior two student at Wanyange Girls School, while at the school’s stall, explained about the innovation of a local incubator made with a basin and blanket among other materials.