Numerous primary and secondary schools displayed a variety of creative ideas and businesses during the second annual National Agricultural Education Show 2023 in Jinja City, drawing in thousands of young people, including students.
Under the theme “Empowering Young Ugandan Agripreneurs,” the education show was organized by the Uganda National Farmers Federation (UNFFE) in collaboration with the Ministries of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF) and Ministry of Education and Sports (MOES). It began on July 11 and is scheduled to end on July 15.
At the National Agricultural Showgrounds in Jinja City, the education exhibition for agriculture was formally opened by Minister of State Fred Bwiino Kyakulaga.
Kyakulaga, who was accompanied by UNFFE President Dick Kamuganga and Assistant Commissioner George Mutekanga, who is in charge of private schools and institutions of higher learning, among others, visited a number of exhibition booths set up by various schools to display cutting-edge technological abilities and innovations.
After visiting the booths, Kyakulaga gave a speech in which he apologized on behalf of Janet Museveni, the first lady and minister of education and sports, who was supposed to inaugurate the education show but was unable to attend owing to other State obligations.
Kyakulaga disclosed that the Directorate of Industrial Training visits the schools, evaluates the pupils in various abilities, and issues them with certificates in those areas under arrangements made by the Ministry of Education.
He also disclosed that a program called Agriculture Mobilisation and Education, developed by the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, will be aimed at the nation’s farming community.
Dick Kamuganga, the president of UNFFE, congratulated the Ministry of Agriculture for its efforts in establishing the National Agriculture Education Show, a venue for students.
In addition, Kamuganga urged Minister Kyakulaga to enforce the National Agricultural Educational Transformation platform across the board.
The National Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO), according to Dr. Kassim Sadik, Deputy Director General in charge of Agricultural Technology Promotion, has showcased a package of resilient technologies as well as displayed forestry and livestock technologies at the education expo.
According to Sadik, researchers at the NARO booth educated children about soil science, emphasizing how the soil is a living echo system that feeds the crops. This helped the children understand that in order to engage in sustainable agriculture, they needed to be aware of the proper ways to treat, nourish, and protect the soil from damaging elements.
The exhibition grounds are under a lot of threat, according to Jinja Mayor Alton Kasolo, who was pleased by the students’ new agricultural technological breakthroughs and asked the government to preserve them from land speculators.
According to NARO’s Emily Arayo, they displayed innovations from several research institutes inside the organization in addition to cross-cutting technologies like soil science.
Wanyange Girls School student Kyazike Shafrah described the creation of a local incubator constructed from a basin and blanket among other items while she was at the school’s stand.
