Kenyan Students With Impressive Project Win Sh1.1M in Israel

A team of Kenyan students has won a Sh 1.1 million grant after presenting a remarkable project at a competition in Israel. 

According to a statement issued by Israel Embassy in Kenya on Friday, June 16, the Kenyan students participated in an 11-month program at Arava International Center for Agricultural Training (AICAT), a non-profit organisation located in the Arava desert in Israel. Their school project titled H20 Filtered Water for Agriculture, proposes solutions to various challenges facing farmers.  

The Kenyan students won accolades for their superior performance compared to their Tanzanian counterparts, who were awarded Ksh840,600. The Tanzanian team presented a project that promoted Amaranthus farming in East Africa. The Arava International Center for Agricultural Training praised both the winners and encouraged them to utilize the skills they had gained in Israel to boost the agriculture industry in their respective nations. 

The Dean Family Fellowship Grants, a program initiated by the Jewish National Fund-USA (JNF-USA) and the Dean family from Philadelphia, which funded the scholarships, also commended the victors. Following the signing of an agreement between Kenya and Israel by former President Uhuru Kenyatta in 2016, more than 440 students have been sent to the institution for an Advanced Diploma in Agriculture and Agribusiness. Of these, 200 were chosen from leading Universities in Kenya, including 50 from the University of Nairobi.

Israel is acclaimed for its irrigation-based farming practices which are aligned with technological advancements. Kenya is one of the countries that benefit from this, as the country receives fertilisers, chemicals, cereals, and farm machinery from Israel. On May 10, President Ruto met Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and they decided to eliminate any trade restrictions.