Course Overview.
Agricultural education can be defined as the teaching of agriculture lessons, land management and natural resources in an effort to prepare students for careers within agricultural fields. Agricultural extension on the other hand can be defined as the provision of research-based information on various facets of agricultural production to farmers to increase farm yield. Combined together, training in Agricultural Education & Extension offers dual qualifications in the two areas and prepares students for careers in education as well as leadership positions in agriculture including working in schools and colleges as teachers. Professionals in this field can therefore be referred to as agricultural extension officers, school agriculture teachers, farm advisors among other titles. Professionally, agricultural extension officers act as intermediaries between agricultural research and farmers. In their day to day work activities, these professionals operate as communicators and facilitators helping farmers in their decision-making and ensuring that appropriate agricultural knowledge is implemented to obtain the best agricultural results.
Agriculture is the backbone of Kenya’s economy. It contributes about 26% directly and 27% indirectly to Kenya’s GDP and provides income to over 70% of Kenyans. The data justifies investment in school and tertiary level Education in agriculture. Modern agriculture is complex and only individuals who have gone through an extended period of preparation in agriculture can effectively participate and contribute in it. Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Education & Extension is a four year course that is intended to prepare and produce competent manpower with skills and knowledge applicable within agricultural extension, school agriculture education, rural sociology, cultural and rural development among other areas. Upon successful completion of the course, graduates can work as agricultural extension officers, school agriculture teachers as well as working within agriculture and Livestock related institutions.
Entry Qualifications.
For self sponsored students, at least a mean grade of C+ in KCSE. For Government sponsored students, the minimum cut point which is announced annually applies. The students should in addition have good performance in the following cluster subjects; Subject 1 BIO, Subject 2 CHE, Subject 3 MAT A or PHY or GEO, Subject 4 ENG/KIS or 3rd GROUP II or a GROUP III or any GROUP IV or any GROUP V.
Becoming an agriculture teacher cum extension officer
If you have an interest in agriculture and education and want to develop a career that can enable you play a key role towards developing Kenya’s food supplies and helping smallholder farmers as well as empowering future farmers, then pursuing this course might interest you. In addition, you should be prepared to develop skills that can help you grow and succeed in this field.
As an agriculture teacher cum extension officer, you must have strong research skills to be in a position to unearth emerging farming technologies that can benefit farmers. You also need to have strong report writing skills that can enable you prepare training materials for the framers. Transfer of knowledge to farmers is in some cases done through experiments, professionals in this field must therefore have good demonstration and presentation skills.
A passion for the environment and farming is very important as agriculture is all about working in the field under extreme weather conditions. Smallholder farmers experience various farming challenges; as a result professionals in this field need to a have good problem-solving skills to help farmers find solutions to their farming challenges.
Work environment.
Graduates of this course can work in educational setups, offices or field depending on one’s area of employment.
Career opportunities
Graduates of this course can work in both private and public sectors. Areas of employment include; private and secondary schools as agriculture teachers, cooperative extension, business, trade, Nonprofits organizations, Companies that manufacture fertilizers and other farming inputs, professional associations or within agriculture and Livestock related institutions among other areas. Graduates can also start their own businesses within the field.
You may explore these courses.
Bachelor of Science in Agriculture
Bachelor of Science in Horticulture
Bachelor of Science in Agriculture & Human Ecology Extension
Bachelor of Science in Dry Land, Agriculture & Enterprise Development
Bachelor of Science in Agroforestry & Rural Development
Bachelor of Science in Community Resource Management