This archive report was first published on 27 September 2019.
Located 13 kilometers from Nakuru Town, Anestar Boys High School sits near the depleted Dundori Forest. The school's innovative farming project has flourished, with crops such as sukuma wiki, cabbages, and potatoes thriving on the school farm.
On a visit to the school, the Seeds of Gold team observed students working on the farm, some weeding their vegetables and others feeding rabbits and pigs. Mwaura, a Form Four student, shared his experience with rabbit rearing, stating, 'I came to this school with zero knowledge on rabbit rearing but I have learnt a lot as an agriculture student. I know the various breeds of rabbits, their feeding regime and disease management.'
The school keeps various animals, including 300 Kienyeji chickens and turkeys, 30 pigs, 20 Friesian cows, and several goats and sheep. Principal Marcos Ogachi noted that the farming projects generate up to Sh100,000 per month and have employed some 15 workers. 'The school buys the pigs at between Sh10,000 and Sh30,000 depending on the weight. We feed our more than 900 students with produce from the farm and get some income and at the same time give the students first-hand experience in agriculture,' he said.
Surplus money from the project is used to expand the project and support needy students who are not able to raise fees. Ogachi also mentioned that the school has drilled a borehole to address water challenges and has employed a vet to look after the welfare of the animals and birds.
The project has helped to change the perception of students on agriculture, with Ogachi observing, 'They have learnt that agriculture is not a dirty job. Most of our students are from urban settings and some had not touched a pig or slaughtered a chicken in their lifetime. They are now getting real-life experience.'
The project has also had a positive impact on the school's agriculture mean score, which increased to 9.2 last year. Nakuru Agriculture executive Immaculate Maina noted that most students who start engaging in farming early tend to love agribusiness and promote it in future.
