On 15-16 April, Kenya held its National Food Systems Summit, a critical moment to reflect on the progress made in transforming our agri-food systems. Under the theme “Fostering Collaboration, Innovation, and Inclusion for Resilient Food Systems”, various stakeholders gathered to assess five key transformation pathways: empowering youth and women, promoting diverse diets, advancing climate action, embracing digitalisation and innovation, and enhancing partnerships and coordination.

Each of these pathways speaks directly to the role and relevance of technical and vocational education and training (TVET) institutions. Yet, TVETs are rarely brought to the centre of national policy conversations on food systems transformation. My attendance at the summit was guided by the goal of amplifying the voice of young people and highlighting the transformative potential of TVETs in this critical space.

This column has been dedicated to demystifying the role of TVETs in advancing rural and national progress, and the summit offered a moment to connect the dots.

TVET institutions are designed to equip young people and women with practical, market-relevant skills. As the 2013 TVET Act envisioned a technical institution in every constituency, we now have a foundation to harness this infrastructure to train a critical mass of young Kenyans who can actively participate in food systems innovation – from production to processing and marketing.

Kenya’s rich agro-ecological diversity demands localised food systems that reflect regional cultures and nutritional needs. TVETs can support this through localised training programs that promote traditional crops, nutrition education, value addition, and sustainable agricultural practices tailored to each region.

TVETs are embracing the Greening TVETs policy, which encourages sustainable practices within learning institutions and surrounding communities. Initiatives such as tree planting, waste management, water harvesting, and the integration of climate resilience into technical courses position TVETs as enablers of climate-smart food systems.

With digital hubs being introduced at some TVETs, there’s an opportunity to infuse innovation into agriculture and food systems. Imagine a future where TVET students lead community-based soil testing using AI, or monitor livestock health using Internet of Things (IoT) technologies. The potential is enormous. As I have previously noted, local internships can further strengthen these innovation ecosystems by offering real-world learning opportunities.

Transforming food systems requires more than isolated efforts. Partnerships – between government, private sector, academia, and communities – are vital. TVETs can act as convening spaces where knowledge exchange and joint problem-solving take place. Strengthening this pathway is key to sustaining progress.

With frameworks like Financial Flow in the Food Systems in Kenya, we must ensure that TVETs receive the investment they need to deliver practical solutions and build the technical workforce necessary for food systems transformation.

As the country takes stock of its food systems journey and looks ahead to the Africa region and global food system summit, it is time we acknowledge that TVETs are not peripheral – they are central actors. The future of Kenya’s agri-food systems depends not just on policies and summits but on equipping the next generation with the skills to innovate, adapt, and lead.

— The writer is a UN global food systems Youth Leader, Vocational and Technical Trainer, and Communication Consultant