Agriculture

Craft Certificate in Entrepreneurial Agriculture

The Craft Certificate in Entrepreneurial Agriculture is a two-year programme examined by the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) and offered at technical and vocational training institutions and agricultural colleges across Kenya. It equips students with practical skills in entrepreneurial crop and livestock production, farm management, and agricultural marketing. The programme is accredited by the Technical and Vocational Education and Training Authority (TVETA) under the TVET Act, 2013.

Module I covers entrepreneurship and communication skills, science, foundation to crop and entrepreneurial agriculture, and farm management. Students learn foundational agricultural sciences, crop production principles, and basic farm business management. Module II advances to livestock and resource management, agricultural economics, business plan, and agricultural marketing.

The programme combines theory with extensive practical training on college farms and agricultural enterprises. Students gain hands-on experience in entrepreneurial farming, value addition, and market-oriented agricultural production. The Kenya School of Agriculture and institutions like Sigalagala National Polytechnic are among the key providers.

Entry requirements are a KCSE mean grade of D (plain) or a pass in a relevant Artisan Certificate. The programme is designed to prepare trainees for both formal employment and self-employment as entrepreneurial farmers.

Graduates pursue careers as entrepreneurial farm managers, agricultural enterprise assistants, agribusiness assistants, and agricultural extension assistants in farms, agribusiness companies, NGOs, and government agricultural departments. The programme provides a progression pathway to a Diploma in Entrepreneurial Agriculture and subsequently to a degree in agriculture or agribusiness.

The programme includes practical attachments on farms and agricultural enterprises. Government-sponsored students placed through KUCCPS receive capitation funding, and HELB loans are available for eligible students. The standardised annual tuition fee at public TVET institutions is KES 67,189.

Duration: 2 years
Public, up to: Ksh 67,189
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: 30 students
Award: Certificate

What you study

10 subjects

Foundation to Crop and Entrepreneurial Agriculture
Livestock and Resource Management
Farm Management
Agricultural Economics
Agricultural Marketing
Entrepreneurship
Science
Communication Skills
Business Plan
Resource Management

Modules

8 in the programme

Entrepreneurship and Communication Skills
Year 1Semester 12 creditsCore
Entrepreneurship principles and communication skills for agricultural enterprise management.
Science
Year 1Semester 12 creditsCore
Basic sciences relevant to agricultural production including biology and chemistry fundamentals.
Foundation to Crop and Entrepreneurial Agriculture
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Fundamental principles of crop production with entrepreneurial focus on market-oriented farming.
Farm Management
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Farm planning, budgeting, record-keeping, and resource allocation for agricultural enterprises.
Livestock and Resource Management
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Livestock production and management of farm resources including water, soil, and feed.
Agricultural Economics
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Economic principles applied to agricultural production, pricing, and market analysis.
Agricultural Marketing
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Agricultural marketing strategies, value chains, and market access for agricultural products.
Business Plan
Year 2Semester 22 creditsCore
Development of a comprehensive agricultural business plan as a capstone entrepreneurship project.

Specialisations

Crop Entrepreneurship
Focus on market-oriented crop production and value addition.
Livestock Entrepreneurship
Specialisation in commercial livestock production and marketing.
Agricultural Marketing
Focus on agricultural value chains and market access strategies.
Farm Business Management
Specialisation in farm financial management and enterprise planning.

A day as a student

A typical day combines morning lectures on crop science or agricultural economics with afternoon practical sessions on the college farm, where students practise entrepreneurial farming, value addition, and market-oriented production.

The trade offs

In its favour

Focus on entrepreneurship prepares graduates for self-employment in agribusiness.
Low entry requirements make it accessible to a wide range of students.
Practical training on college farms provides hands-on agricultural skills.

Against it

Agricultural work is physically demanding and may require rural postings.
Subject to weather and climate variability affecting farm productivity.
Entry-level salaries may be modest compared to other sectors.

What it costs

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

What it costs, and where

Against 303 agriculture courses

Public67k to 67k

67k at Siaya Institute of Technology67k at Siaya Institute of Technology

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

Public TVET 67K/yr (jitimu.com Siaya). Private: unverified.

Government-sponsored students placed through KUCCPS receive capitation funding. HELB loans of up to KES 45,000 per year are available for eligible TVET certificate students.

Funding options

HELB Loan
KUCCPS Government Capitation
County Bursary

Scholarships

3 recorded

HELB TVET Loan
LoanKsh 45,000Kenyan
Kenyan students placed by KUCCPS in accredited TVET institutions.
KUCCPS Government Capitation
SubsidyKsh 30,000Kenyan
Government-sponsored students placed by KUCCPS receive capitation funding.
County Bursary
BursaryKsh 20,000Kenyan
Various county governments offer bursaries for TVET students.

Getting in

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

What you need

KCSE mean grade: D
Alternative entry: Pass in a relevant Artisan Certificate in agriculture or equivalent qualification approved by KNEC.

How you are assessed

3 components

End of Module KNEC Examinations
Written examination60% of the mark
KNEC-administered examinations covering theory and technical knowledge.
Practical Farm Assessments
Practical assessment30% of the mark
Practical assessments on college farms evaluating crop and livestock competencies.
Business Plan
Project10% of the mark
Agricultural business plan demonstrating entrepreneurial competencies.

Accreditation

Examined by KNEC and accredited by TVETA under the TVET Act, 2013. Institutions offering this programme must be registered and accredited by TVETA.

Accredited by

Kenya National Examinations Council
AcademicRequired
Examined by KNEC. Institutions must be TVETA-accredited.
Technical and Vocational Education and Training Authority
InstitutionalRequired
All TVET institutions offering this programme must be registered and accredited by TVETA.

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

4 roles

Entrepreneurial Farm Manager
Moderate demandKsh 300,000 to Ksh 540,000
Manages commercial farm operations with focus on profitability and market orientation.
Agribusiness Assistant
Moderate demandKsh 300,000 to Ksh 480,000
Assists in agribusiness operations including production planning and marketing.
Agricultural Extension Assistant
Moderate demandKsh 300,000 to Ksh 480,000
Supports extension officers in delivering advisory services to farmers.
Agricultural Enterprise Owner
High demandKsh 240,000 to Ksh 600,000
Starts and manages own agricultural enterprise applying entrepreneurial skills.

Graduate outcomes

Graduates find employment as entrepreneurial farm managers and agribusiness assistants, with opportunities in commercial farms, agribusiness companies, and agricultural NGOs.

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Tools you will learn

Farm Machinery
EquipmentPrimary
Microsoft Office (Excel for Farm Records)
Software

Certifications

Industry links

Common misconceptions

Entrepreneurial agriculture is just traditional farming.
The programme focuses on market-oriented, business-driven agriculture with emphasis on value addition, marketing, and enterprise management.
Agriculture is only for those who cannot get other jobs.
Agribusiness is one of Kenya's fastest-growing sectors, with significant opportunities in value addition, export, and agricultural technology.
You need land to benefit from this training.
Graduates work in diverse roles including farm management, agribusiness consulting, agricultural finance, and extension services without owning land.
Agricultural training does not lead to entrepreneurship.
The programme specifically includes entrepreneurship, business planning, and agricultural marketing to prepare graduates for self-employment.