Kenya and Thailand Partner to Boost Food Production with Mechanized Farming
Kenya is collaborating with the Royal Government of Thailand to promote simple mechanized farming practices aimed at enhancing food production and creating employment opportunities for youth.
The partnership, overseen by the Kenya School of Agriculture and the Thailand International Cooperation Agency (TICA), focuses on introducing the Farming Utility Vehicle (FUV), commonly known as a “walking tractor.”
This low-cost, versatile equipment, first developed in the 1950s by Thai King M.R. Debriddhi Devakul, has been widely adopted across 17 African countries and is now set to transform Kenya’s small-scale farming landscape.
The FUV can perform multiple functions, including land preparation, water pumping, and farm-to-home transportation, making it an affordable and practical tool for smallholder farmers.
Training sessions at the Kenya School of Agriculture aim to familiarize farmers and youth with its use, encouraging them to adopt mechanized practices that boost productivity and reduce reliance on manual labor.
“The walking tractor is not just a tool for farming—it’s a tool for empowerment,” said Shannon Lee Ferry, an advisor from the Federation of Thai Industries at Kenya School of Agriculture, during a training session with students. “It creates jobs for young people and boosts the economy while improving farming efficiency.”
Kenya’s Deputy Director of Agriculture, Pauline Njagi, highlighted the collaboration’s focus on youth empowerment, noting the potential of the FUV to generate income and reduce urban migration. “This affordable technology allows young people to earn a living through farming, which aligns with the government’s bottom-up economic agenda,” she explained.
The partnership also includes broader agricultural knowledge transfer. Thai scientists have been training Kenyan researchers and students on modern farming practices, such as soil health management, irrigation, and crop value addition.
Thai Ambassador to Kenya, Sasirit Tangulrat, emphasized the long-term benefits of the collaboration, particularly in addressing food security challenges and adapting to climate change.
“By sharing Thailand’s practical farming technologies, we aim to leave a lasting impact on Kenya’s agricultural development and resilience against drought,” she said.
This initiative is part of a three-year bilateral agreement signed in 2023, designed to enhance Kenya’s capacity in food and animal production and improve the livelihoods of local communities.