- Kisumu has completed the Pap Konam Agricultural Training Centre and will hand it over to the Kenya School of Agriculture.
- The centre will offer training in modern agriculture to boost farmer skills, livestock productivity and incomes.
- Pap Konam becomes the 10th campus of the Kenya School of Agriculture
The County Government of Kisumu has completed primary construction of the Pap Konam Agricultural Training Centre and will hand it over to the Kenya School of Agriculture (KSA) under the national government, Kisumu Governor Prof. Anyang’ Nyong’o has announced.
Speaking during the 2026 Kisumu Agricultural Society of Kenya (ASK) Show, Nyong’o said the centre targets to improve breeding services, animal health, farmer training and dairy value chain development. He said that once it is operating at its best, farmers will be able to increase their livestock productivity and household incomes.
“We believe this institution will serve not only Kisumu but the wider Lake Region as a centre for training farmers, extension officers and young agripreneurs in modern agricultural practices that enhance food security,” he said.
Nyong’o also said such investments reflect a conviction that agriculture succeeds where knowledge is placed in the hands of producers.
Dairy development centre
The governor said his government is also striving to strengthen livestock development through the Kisumu Dairy Development Centre, where it targets to improve breeding services, animal health, farmer training and dairy value chain development. He said that when it is operating at its best, farmers will be able to increase their livestock productivity and household incomes.
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He said climate-smart agriculture is no longer a matter of choice but a pathway to resilience, requiring the embracement of seed varieties, efficient irrigation, soil conservation, mechanisation, renewable energy, better livestock breeds and modern services.
“It also requires us to protect our forests, wetlands and water resources, because environmental stewardship cannot be separated from sustainable economic growth,” Nyong’o said.
Why KSA was chosen
Nyong’o explained that the decision to hand over the Pap Konam centre to KSA was because the institution brings decades of experience in agricultural education, curriculum development, research and professional training.
He added that rather than duplicating institutions and creating unnecessary recurrent expenditure, the county chose partnership over parallel structures, which he described as cooperative governance in practice.
“The county government has made the capital investment, while the national government, through the Kenya School of Agriculture, will now provide the academic leadership, technical expertise and institutional capacity necessary to make this centre thrive, and the greatest beneficiaries will be the people of Kisumu,” he said.
Nyong’o said transforming agriculture into a competitive and sustainable enterprise begins with investing in knowledge, innovation and human capital.
The partnership will ensure that the county’s farmers, extension officers, young agripreneurs and agricultural professionals receive nationally accredited training delivered by qualified instructors, using curricula that continue to evolve alongside changing technologies and emerging agricultural realities.
Training areas
Nyong’o said the county’s farmers will receive specialised training in rice production, fisheries and aquaculture, dairy farming, poultry, horticulture, indigenous vegetables, irrigation farming and climate-smart agriculture.
“Our extension officers will benefit from continuous professional development closer to home. Demonstration farms and farmer field schools will accelerate the adoption of improved technologies throughout our communities,” he said.
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He added that students, researchers and practitioners visiting the centre will contribute to the local economy through accommodation, transport, commerce and other services.
Nyong’o said development succeeds when governments work together rather than compete with one another, adding that the constitution envisions cooperation between the two levels of government. Counties are responsible for many agricultural functions, while the national government provides policy leadership, research and specialised training.
Pap Konam Agricultural Training Centre becomes the 10th campus of the Kenya School of Agriculture, marking a milestone in strengthening agricultural education and skills development.
By Fredrick Odiero
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