“First Lady Rachel Ruto Inaugurates Training Exchange Initiative for 210 Kenyan Trainees Participating in 2023 Mashav Agricultural Training Program in Israel”
On Tuesday, First Lady Rachel Ruto inaugurated a training exchange program that will facilitate the participation of 210 Kenyan trainees in the 2023 Mashav Agricultural Training Program in Israel. This program involves an 11-month practical training session at the Arava International Centre for Agricultural Training (AICAT), located in the southern part of Israel.
During the event, the First Lady commended the fruitful collaboration between Kenya and Israel, which has led to the exchange of Kenyan trainees in crucial sectors like security, medicine, and agriculture. The initiative’s primary objective is to address the challenges posed by arid and semi-arid areas (ASAL), which encompass 23 out of Kenya’s 47 counties.
The 2023 Mashav Agricultural Training Program is a manifestation of the robust bilateral relationship between the two nations, aligning with the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA). It emphasizes agriculture as a pivotal sector for driving economic growth, ensuring food security, generating employment opportunities, and fostering industrialization.
The trainees are anticipated to return to Kenya equipped with enhanced skills and fresh perspectives, contributing to the nation’s advancement. Drova Dorsman Yarkoni, the Deputy Head of Israel’s Mission in Kenya, conveyed the aspiration to witness numerous AICAT Alumni leveraging their training for success in Kenya’s agriculture sector. Yarkoni highlighted the program’s goal of enabling these young, educated, and skilled individuals to emerge as prosperous agri-entrepreneurs, offering innovative solutions for food production and security within Kenya.
Kello Harsama, the Principal Secretary of the State Department of Crop Development, noted that the Training Centre situated in the Arava desert would inspire the trainees to devise agriculture-focused solutions tailored to Kenya’s arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs). These areas encompass 23 counties out of the total 47 counties in Kenya.