Jobs for Diploma in Agriculture Graduates

Practical farming and extension skills

A Diploma in Agriculture (or in General Agriculture, Animal Health, Horticulture or Agribusiness) is offered by agricultural training colleges, national polytechnics and technical institutes, usually over two to three years. The course is hands-on, covering crop production, livestock management, soil and water conservation, farm machinery, farm records and extension methods. It produces the field staff who work directly with farmers and on farms across the country.

Jobs for diploma holders

• Field officer and field assistant with agricultural companies, cooperatives and NGOs
• Farm supervisor and production assistant on commercial farms, flower farms and estates
• Extension assistant in county agriculture departments
• Sales representative for seeds, fertilisers, agrochemicals and animal feeds
• Livestock and dairy assistant roles, including artificial insemination with further training

Entry requirements

Public TVET places are applied for through KUCCPS, usually with a KCSE mean grade of C- (minus). Certificate holders can progress to the diploma. Make sure the college is accredited by the TVET Authority.

What employers want

Field employers look for people who can work independently in rural areas, communicate well in Kiswahili and local languages, keep accurate records and ride a motorbike or drive. Experience with specific value chains, such as dairy, avocado, tea, poultry or horticulture, is valuable, so choose attachments in the sector you want to work in. Skills in using smartphones for data collection and farmer registration are now expected by many companies and NGOs.

Animal health

If you train in animal health, note that veterinary para-professionals are regulated under the Veterinary Surgeons and Veterinary Para-professionals Act, 2011 by the Kenya Veterinary Board, and must be registered and licensed to practise.

Progression

Experienced field officers become field supervisors, area managers, farm managers or agribusiness owners. Many diploma holders later complete a BSc in Agriculture or Agribusiness, often with credit transfer, which opens agronomist, research and management posts. Others build their own farms or input shops, using their training to run them commercially.