SUA Model Training Farm was established to increase the diversity of quality teaching, research, field hands on exercises and outreach, and make coordinated efforts in managing crops and animal training units at SUA.   The Unit is coordinated at the college level, to give opportunity for all units and respective departments under the College of Agriculture (CoA) to complement each other in the provision of quality training on crops and animal husbandry for the benefits of the entire University.   The model training farm initiatives was build on the ongoing course review in various departments that aim at allocating more time to students for hands on activities.

The main objective of the Model Training Farm is to produce quality graduates with adequate hands-on skills for employment in the labour market while the specific objectives of the Model Training Farm are to:

  1. Offer practical training to undergraduate and postgraduate students
  2.  Generate income through production and marketing of agricultural products and training fees
  3.  Incubate new technologies generated by the University
  4.  Host students Entrepreneurs and professional associations
  5.  Provide state of the art field research and consultancy facility for students, staff and the general public
  6.  D emonstrate proven agricultural technologies to general public
  7.  Conserve germplasm and promotion of endangered species and orphan crops

Land Preparation

Land preparation at SUA model farm

Land Preparation at SUA Model Training Farm

Passion Fruit and Grapes Plots

Grapes being grown at SUA model farm

Grapes being grown at SUA model farm

Trained and pruned grape crop

Trained and pruned grape crop at the “Main Gate Unit”

Papaya and Pineapple Crops

papaya crop

Papaya crop re-establishment at the Model Training Farm 

Pineapple and pawpaw plots under drip irrigation

Pineapple and pawpaw plots under drip irrigation

Tea, Coffee, Sisal, and Sugarcane Plots

One of the objectives of Model training farm is to conserve germplasm and promotion of endangered species and orphan crops. To achieve this objective, the SUA model training farm component at the Crop Museum has established 8 crops of national importance; Arabica coffee, robusta coffee, tea, sisal, cotton, sugarcane, cocoa, cloves

Tea (left) and coffee (right)

Tea (left) and Coffee (right) plots

Sisal (right) and sugarcane(right)

Sisal (right) and Sugarcane (right) plots

Green Houses Infrastructures

As part of the model training farm infrastructures, the University has established three triplet greenhouse units which is used for production of vegetable crops. Three vegetable crops (tomato, sweet pepper and cucumber, one in each) have been established in the greenhouses.

Triplet greenhouse structures

Triplet greenhouse structures for vegetables production

Sweet pepper (left) and cucumber (right) crop plants in the triplet greenhouses

Sweet pepper (left) and cucumber (right) crop plants in the triplet greenhouses

Drip Irrigation Systems

To improve and ensure productivity of the crops, the unit has established an irrigation infrastructure that has two water tank towers each capable of holding two 10,000 liters water tanks . One of the towers has full installation of two 10,000L water tanks, and the other one has only one 10,000 L tank

Left picture (top far right) shows a tank tower with two 10,000 L water tanks and on the left is a tank tower with a single 10,000 L water tank

Left picture (top far right) shows a tank tower with two 10,000 L water tanks and on the left is a tank tower with a single 10,000 L water tank