MMUST Students Set to Benefit from Agricultural Traineeship Programs in Germany as the University Begins Discussions with German-Based Organization, Agrarkontakte International
Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology’s students are set to benefit from agricultural traineeship programs in Germany. The internship programs, which are an initiative of a non-profit organization based in Germany, AgrarKontakte International (AKI), enable young farmers and professionals in the agri-food sector to gain valuable practice experience on German modern farms. On Thursday, 6th November, 2025, MMUST hosted delegates from AKI to discuss the possibility of partnering on this project, as well as other areas of collaboration, including research and staff exchange programs. The delegates, Ms. Tatiana Dettmer and Ms. Verena Jauß, met with the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic and Student Affairs)-Prof. Hussein Golicha, before proceeding to Golf Hotel-Kakamega for a Workshop.
From left; Ms. Tabytha Shisia, Prof. Hussein Golicha, Ms. Tatiana Dettmer and Ms. Verena Jauß during the courtesy call.
Speaking at the Workshop, the Director of Quality Assurance-Prof. Danstone Lilechi Barasa, who was representing the University Management, stated that the traineeship program is a good initiative, which will equip students with knowledge and skills to become innovative and create employment opportunities for themselves. “We appreciate you for choosing to partner with MMUST and we look forward to formalizing this collaboration in order to have our staff and students benefit from this project. I believe that this opportunity will create experts who will transfer skills to our small scale farmers, while at the same time motivating the youth to venture into agriculture,” said Prof. Barasa.
Ms. Tatiana Dettmer speaks at the Workshop.
Ms. Dettmer, the General Manager at AKI, revealed that this program is supported by Baden-Württemberg federal state’s Ministry of Agriculture, the German Agricultural Bank, as well as farmers in Germany. She highlighted that the ultimate goal of this project is to exchange best practices and build valuable linkages between Germany and countries in Africa. “Kenya is a country with enormous potential in agriculture. It is capable of producing more agricultural products to not only feed itself but also become a stronger exporter. As an organization, we hope that students who engage in our internship program will take back the knowledge and skills that they will have acquired and act as multipliers in their home countries,” remarked Ms. Dettmer.
Prof. Alice Ndiema makes a point during the MMUST-AKI discussions.
While presenting on the agricultural courses offered in MMUST, the Dean School of Agriculture, Veterinary Sciences and Technology (SAVET)-Prof. Vitalis Ogemah stated that this program will without doubt help students gain hands-on experience on up to date agricultural technologies. “Such initiatives enhance students’ opportunities to get into self-employment as well as secure jobs. I have shared our programs with AKI and we are looking forward to having this collaboration formalized as soon as possible,” said Prof. Ogemah during an interview with DCCM. On her part, SAVET’s Prof. Alice Ndiema reiterated that this initiative is crucial to enabling students to appreciate the practical aspect of modern agriculture. “There are very many opportunities in agriculture and we need to encourage more young people to invest in this sector,” she added.
The Dean School of Agriculture, Veterinary Sciences and Technology-Prof. Vitalis Ogemah, presents a gift to Ms. Verena Jauß as Ms. Tabytha Shisia looks on.
Ms. Tabytha Shisia, who is the contact person for this project, pointed out that MMUST is among the few Universities in Kenya to partner with AKI on this program. “This project will open up many opportunities to not only our students, but also recent Diploma and Degree graduates. I am glad to note that MMUST is in talks with AKI to organize agricultural expos, which will be a great platform for experts from Germany to interact with our agricultural systems and techniques, as they educate our farmers on how to modernize their farms,” remarked Ms. Shisia. She added that this partnership, housed in SAVET, is set to bring onboard other Schools, including the School of Public Health, Biomedical Sciences and Technology (SPHBS&T).
AKI has worked with the Bukura Agricultural College (BAC) for many years, with more than one hundred (100) BAC students benefiting from the traineeship program. As the discussions to establish a partnership between the University and AKI kick off, MMUST students are certainly positioned to benefit from this life-changing opportunity.
By Caren Nekesa and Wangari Wambugu
