Baraka Agriculture College Partnerships

Partnership is one of the core pillars that Baraka Agricultural College (BAC) uses as a fundamental approach in its delivery of core services aimed at empowering the rural communities in Eastern Africa. Baraka College has in the last two decades established strong strategic partners who have faithfully journeyed together in meeting its mission of promoting sustainable agriculture and rural development (SARD) in Eastern Africa. The growth in partnerships has resulted in BAC acquiring capacity to offer much wider range of stimuli, including delivery of efficient services and providing choices for BAC service users.

Baraka College offers eight programmes, all of which focus on empowering rural communities in Eastern Africa. The programmes include Diploma and Certificate in Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development (DSARD and CSARD respectively); Short Courses; Rural Youth; Beekeeping Development and an Outreach to communities in both Kureisoi and Baringo Counties. In addition, BAC offers an expanded outreach development programme to communities in Arid and Semi-Arid areas in Kenya. These programmes would not have been possible without the enduring support of BAC partners.

Strategic Partnerships working with BAC falls broadly into four categories:

• Training and education, research , standards and quality assurance institutions including local and international networks and volunteer groups;Learning partners:
• Resource partners: Local and international networks; indigenous knowledge, research and development institutions including internet sites;
• Publicity/marketing, technical support, policy support , concept and strategy promotion partners; and Positioning partners:
• Funding partners: Financial support, service provision and commercial financial institutions.

Baraka College has also established activity-focused collaborators, donors, individuals and networks that possess both local and international appeal to work with in the selected education and training programmes and community development activities.

Baraka College has continued to mutually benefit from strategic partners without whom the promotion of the College mission would not have been easily achieved and felt at grassroots level in Eastern Africa region. The College wishes to acknowledge these priceless partnerships and support that has continued as fact of the partners believing in BAC’s community development approaches and processes in order to attain sustainable development for rural communities. These strategic partners include:

1. Gorta;
2. Trocaire;
3. Misean Cara;
4. Misereor;
5. Self-Help Africa ; and
6. Manus Unidas

Together with the partners, we have been able to reach out to the most vulnerable and neglected corners of not only in Kenya but include the entire Eastern Africa. Baraka College will continue to strengthen the existing partnerships so that BAC and partners can mutually benefit in the service of the least developed in the Eastern Africa region using alternative approaches and processes to sustainable rural development

Br. David Mucemi

PRINCIPAL – Baraka Agriculture College