Beatrice Mugo is a true product of agriculture. She experienced firsthand the income-generating potential of horticultural crops. She saw them pay bills in her life. Her father, a horticultural farmer, educated 11 children with profits from his produce, equipping Beatrice with basic skills and interest in the field.

Her expertise in crop production was later gained from her university studies in horticulture. These saw her commence her career in agriculture first as an agricultural extension and now as a district crops development officer with the Ministry of Agriculture.

Beatrice Mugo is a true product of agriculture. She experienced firsthand the income-generating potential of horticultural crops. She saw them pay bills in her life. Her father, a horticultural farmer, educated 11 children with profits from his produce, equipping Beatrice with basic skills and interest in the field.

Her expertise in crop production was later gained from her university studies in horticulture. These saw her commence her career in agriculture first as an agricultural extension and now as a district crops development officer with the Ministry of Agriculture.

“Agriculture not only gives riches to a nation but the only riches she can call her own.” these are Beatrice’s favourite words; she tells all the farmers and the farmer wannabes she meets to motivate them.

Beatrice has long been a trailblazer. In 1997, she was one of the only two women trained in implementing farmer field schools in western Kenya, and she later spearheaded their application to horticulture in central Kenya.

In 2013, she was chosen as one of 15 participants from 11 African countries for a seven-week training program in Australia on dry land farming (conservation agriculture) for food security, sponsored by the Australian government. She has since worked all over Kenya’s agricultural areas sharing her expertise and experience to increase agricultural productivity and improve the farmers’ livelihoods.

Beatrice is a horticulture and greenhouse enthusiast. She is devoted to helping farmers gain access to salient technologies in these areas in order to boost their food security and livelihoods. She also encourages farmers to incorporate high-value crops, be more business oriented, and engage in all the value chain activities to optimize their benefits.

Beatrice is upbeat about the entire mentoring programme. As a mentor, she is happy that the experience will widen her understanding of the development world and how things works, she will be able to practice her interpersonal skills and finally, she will derive a personal satisfaction through supporting the development of these young men and women.

She is going to help in building her mentees’ confidence, broaden their vision, and expand their capabilities to achieve higher levels within their career paths.

“I want to have an impact in agriculture through the youth, so that my input is realized, its impacts felt by rural farmers so that our youth can see agriculture as a promising future,” she says.