Engineering

Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Engineering and Rural Entrepreneurship

The Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Engineering and Rural Entrepreneurship is a degree programme that equips students with knowledge and skills in in agricultural engineering and rural entrepreneurship. The programme falls under the Engineering & Built Environment category and typically spans 5 years of full-time study at accredited Kenyan universities.

The curriculum covers Engineering Mechanics and Thermodynamics, Farm Power, Machinery and Mechanisation, Irrigation Engineering and Water Management, Post-Harvest Engineering and Food Processing, Entrepreneurship and Business Planning, Agribusiness and Value Addition. Students engage with both theoretical foundations and practical applications, developing competencies in Business Planning, Engineering Mechanics, Entrepreneurship, Farm Power and Machinery, Food Processing. The coursework is designed to build progressive understanding from foundational concepts to advanced topics.

Throughout the programme, students study Engineering Mechanics and Thermodynamics, Farm Power, Machinery and Mechanisation, Irrigation Engineering and Water Management, Post-Harvest Engineering and Food Processing, Entrepreneurship and Business Planning. The teaching approach combines lectures, laboratory practicals, tutorials, assignments and independent research projects. This blend ensures graduates can apply theoretical knowledge to real-world problems in their field.

The programme offers specialisations in Farm Power and Machinery Engineering, Irrigation and Water Management, Post-Harvest Engineering and Food Processing. Students can focus their studies on areas of particular interest, allowing them to tailor their degree to specific career goals. The flexibility enables graduates to pursue diverse professional paths within the sector.

Graduates of the Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Engineering and Rural Entrepreneurship pursue careers as Agricultural Project Manager / Extension Officer, Agricultural Engineer / Machinery Engineer, Irrigation Engineer / Agricultural Consultant, Agribusiness Entrepreneur / Rural Enterprise Developer. They find employment in various sectors including government agencies, private companies, research institutions, non-governmental organisations and academic institutions. The degree opens doors to both local and international opportunities.

The programme is accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE) and offered at recognised universities across Kenya. Students benefit from industry attachments, fieldwork and practical training that complement classroom learning and enhance employability upon graduation.

Duration: 5 years
Public, up to: Ksh 336,600
Job market: Moderate

The programme

What you study, how long it takes, and how it is delivered.

Practicalities

Study mode: Full-time
Attachment: 3 months
Average class: 25 students
Award: Bachelor

What you study

10 subjects

Engineering Mechanics and Thermodynamics
Farm Power, Machinery and Mechanisation
Irrigation Engineering and Water Management
Post-Harvest Engineering and Food Processing
Entrepreneurship and Business Planning
Agribusiness and Value Addition
Rural Development and Microfinance
Agricultural Marketing and Supply Chain
Project Management and Innovation
Agricultural Engineering and Entrepreneurship Research Methods

Modules

8 in the programme

Engineering Mechanics and Thermodynamics
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Engineering mechanics, material properties, thermodynamics principles and applications.
Farm Power, Machinery and Mechanisation
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Farm Power, Machinery and Mechanisation: Farm power systems, machinery design, mechanisation and agricultural equipment. Covers theoretical foundations, practical applications, and industry-relevan...
Entrepreneurship and Business Planning
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Entrepreneurship principles, business plan development, venture creation and innovation.
Irrigation Engineering and Water Management
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Irrigation Engineering and Water Management: Irrigation system design, water conveyance, drainage and water management. Covers planning, organising, leadership, and control in organisational contexts.
Post-Harvest Engineering and Food Processing
Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore
Post-harvest technology, food processing engineering and value addition systems.
Rural Development and Microfinance
Year 3Semester 13 creditsCore
Rural development strategies, microfinance systems and community enterprise support.
Engineering Project and Entrepreneurship Research
Year 3Semester 23 creditsCore
Research design, engineering economics and a final-year project applying engineering and entrepreneurship principles.
Agricultural Marketing and Supply Chain
Year 3Semester 23 creditsCore
Agricultural Marketing and Supply Chain: Agricultural marketing systems, supply chain management and market analysis. Covers market analysis, consumer behaviour, branding, and promotional strategies.

Specialisations

Farm Power and Machinery Engineering
Focus on farm machinery design, agricultural equipment development and mechanisation systems. This specialisation equips graduates with discipline-specific competencies for professional practice in Kenya and the East African region, with pathways to postgraduate study and professional certification.
Irrigation and Water Management
Specialisation in irrigation engineering, drainage systems and water resource management. This specialisation equips graduates with discipline-specific competencies for professional practice in Kenya and the East African region, with pathways to postgraduate study and professional certification.
Post-Harvest Engineering and Food Processing
Focus on food processing technology, post-harvest engineering and value addition systems. This specialisation equips graduates with discipline-specific competencies for professional practice in Kenya and the East African region, with pathways to postgraduate study and professional certification.
Rural Entrepreneurship and Enterprise Development
Specialisation in business planning, microfinance, value chain development and rural enterprise management.

A day as a student

A typical day involves attending engineering lectures, working in the laboratory on machinery design, using AutoCAD for irrigation system design, studying entrepreneurship and business planning, and developing rural enterprise business plans.

The trade offs

In its favour

Dual skill set — combines engineering expertise with entrepreneurship, creating versatile professionals who can engineer solutions and build enterprises.
Entrepreneurship focus — graduates can start their own agribusiness, food processing, or agricultural technology ventures.
Rural development impact — graduates contribute to rural development, food security, and value addition in Kenya.

Against it

Broad curriculum — covering both engineering and business can mean less depth in each area compared to specialised programmes.
Field work intensive — agricultural engineering involves working in rural areas, farms, and processing plants.
Limited awareness — this combined programme is less well-known than pure engineering or pure business programmes.

What it costs

Tuition at both ends of the market, and how to pay for it.

What it costs, and where

Against 332 engineering courses

Public337k to 337k

337k at JKUAT337k at JKUAT

Annual tuition in Kenyan shillings, rounded. The upright tick is the median for this field, so a bar sitting entirely to its right is an expensive programme by the standards of its own subject.

The fine print

JKUAT 336,600/yr (KUCCPS educationnewshub). Private: unverified.

Government scholarships cover up to 53% of tuition for needy students. HELB provides loans up to Ksh 60,000. DAAD offers scholarships for engineering and STEM students.

Funding options

HELB Undergraduate Loan
Government Scholarship (New Funding Model)
DAAD Scholarship

Scholarships

5 recorded

Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program
SponsorshipKsh 500,000
Academically talented but economically disadvantaged African students at partner universities.
Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) Loan
LoanKsh 60,000Kenyan
Kenyan students admitted to accredited universities. Means-tested based on family income.
Higher Education Fund (HEF)
GrantKsh 200,000Kenyan
Government-sponsored (KUCCPS) students in public universities. Awarded through the Higher Education Funding Model.
Institution of Engineers of Kenya (IEK) Student Scholarships
ScholarshipKenyan
Student members of IEK pursuing accredited engineering programmes
TAGDev 2.0 Scholarship at Egerton University
ScholarshipKenyan
Students admitted to agriculture, natural resources and food science programmes at Egerton University

Getting in

The grades, the alternatives, and who accredits the award.

What you need

KCSE mean grade: C+ (plus) mean grade at KCSE
Alternative entry: Diploma holders with credit pass in Agricultural Engineering, Agribusiness, or related fields from recognised institutions may join.

How you are assessed

5 components

Industrial Attachment Report
Practicum5% of the mark
Assessment of industrial attachment at an agricultural company, agribusiness, or rural enterprise. Includes logbook, supervisor evaluation, and written report.
Continuous Assessment Tests
Cat30% of the mark
Regular tests, assignments, problem sets, and laboratory exercises throughout the semester.
Final Agricultural Engineering and Entrepreneurship Research Project or Dissertation
Research5% of the mark
Final year agricultural engineering and entrepreneurship research project or business plan, assessed through written report and oral defence.
End of Semester Examinations
Exam40% of the mark
Comprehensive written examinations covering farm power, irrigation, food processing, entrepreneurship, agribusiness, and rural development.
Project / Practical Assessment
Practicum20% of the mark
Assessment of machinery designs, irrigation designs, food processing calculations, business plans, and financial projections.

Accreditation

Accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE) and the Engineers Board of Kenya (EBK). The programme is offered at JKUAT under the School of Biosystems and Environmental Engineering.

Accredited by

Commission for University Education (CUE)
NationalRequired
CUE accredits all university programmes in Kenya. EBK registration is mandatory for professional engineering practice.

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

5 roles

Agricultural Project Manager / Extension Officer
Medium demandKsh 55,000 to Ksh 200,000
Manages agricultural projects, provides extension services, supports technology transfer, and supporting project management and extension.
Agricultural Engineer / Machinery Engineer
Medium demandKsh 55,000 to Ksh 230,000
Designs agricultural machinery, manages equipment, supports mechanisation, and supporting agricultural machinery engineering.
Irrigation Engineer / Agricultural Consultant
Medium demandKsh 55,000 to Ksh 220,000
Designs irrigation systems, provides consulting, advises on agricultural technology, and supporting irrigation and consulting engineering.
Agribusiness Entrepreneur / Rural Enterprise Developer
Medium demandKsh 50,000 to Ksh 250,000
Starts and manages agribusiness ventures, develops rural enterprises, creates value addition, and supporting entrepreneurship and enterprise development.
Food Processing Entrepreneur / Value Addition Specialist
Medium demandKsh 50,000 to Ksh 230,000
Starts food processing businesses, develops value addition products, manages processing, and supporting food processing entrepreneurship.

Graduate outcomes

Graduates pursue careers as agricultural engineers, enterprise development officers, machinery design engineers and irrigation engineers in engineering companies, agro-processing firms and as entrepreneurs.

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Tools you will learn

AutoCAD
SoftwarePrimary
CAD software for engineering drawing, machinery design and irrigation system design.
MATLAB
SoftwarePrimary
Numerical computing software for engineering analysis and simulation.
SolidWorks
Software
3D CAD software for farm machinery design and mechanical engineering.
Microsoft Excel
Software
Spreadsheet for engineering calculations, business planning and cost analysis.
QuickBooks
Software
Accounting software for rural enterprise financial management and bookkeeping.

Certifications

Industry links

Common misconceptions

Agricultural engineering and entrepreneurship is just about farming.
The programme covers engineering mechanics, machinery design, irrigation, food processing, business planning and enterprise development.
Graduates only work on farms.
Graduates work in engineering companies, agro-processing firms, machinery companies, NGOs, development agencies and as entrepreneurs.
The entrepreneurship component is minimal.
The programme integrates entrepreneurship, business planning, microfinance and value addition throughout the curriculum.
Agricultural engineering has limited career prospects.
Kenya's push for agricultural mechanisation and rural enterprise development creates strong demand for graduates.