KENYA YMCA COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE AND TECHNOLOGY

Brief History

The Kenya YMCA College of Agriculture and Technology is located in Kiambu County, Kiambu West District.  It is approximately 25 Kilometers North of Nairobi along Limuru-Banana Road.

The College was established in 1968, then as the Limuru Boys’ Centre with only 24 boys on full sponsorship by the YMCA and its partners.  In 1993, the college became co-educational and admitted 24 girls in addition to the already established capacity for the 24 boys.  Thus the annual student intake was doubled to 48.  The name also changed to Limuru Agricultural Youth Centre.  The common characteristic for all the trainees was that they were all of needy backgrounds and that they were recruited nationally from all the provinces of the Republic of Kenya.

An evaluation of the course programmes was conducted in 2002 with support from Kindernothilfe and the recommendation and findings were that the institute was playing a unique role in youth development.  The study recommended that the courses should be Diversified so as to provide different courses as opposed to the general agriculture course.

The management accepted the findings and recommendations and as a result, several courses were introduced.

Since 2010, the intakes have been staggered into three in each academic year. Thus the college has January, May and September intakes and this has ensured that the institute admits more students.

The courses offered are as shown in the current advert for 2013 intakes below: -

Evolution to College Status

The Kenya YMCA College of Agriculture and Technology is a technical training institute accredited by the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology.  It offers course programmes to young men and women in line with government policy of empowering youths with relevant skills to make them self reliant.

As an expression of renewed commitment to the Centre’s mandate, the management of the college is pleased to announce an evolution in the institution’s business name.  Instead of being called Limuru Agricultural Youth Centre, the Centre is now called Kenya YMCA College of Agriculture and Technology. The college is committed to finding solutions to ensure that Kenya’s growing youth population has enough jobs and income.  The abilities and expertise that the YMCA brings to Limuru Centre are key to this mission.  Therefore as an expression of this joint mission, effective from 23^rd November 2012, we are now evolving to be called Kenya YMCA College of Agriculture and Technology.

JANUARY, MAY & SEPTEMBER - INTAKE

Application Processing fee Kshs. 1000/=

Demonstration Farm

The college runs a demonstration farm to complement the theoretical vocational skills.  The farm houses high quality livestock breeds of cattle, pigs, chicken, rabbits and shoats.

Farmers are able to buy heifers and piglets for onward breeding.  The farm is contracted by farmer’s choice to supply porkers at six months of age.

Cattle breeds available range from Friesian Holstein, Guernsey, jersey and Aryshire.

Vegetables grown include tomatoes, cabbages, Kales (sukumawiki), spinach, carrots and leeks among others.  Though much of the produce finds its way to the college kitchen, the farm also supplies neighbors and other interested persons.

A programme of short courses is also available.

Horticulture Farming