On 22nd July 2025, the TAGDev 2.0 Program at Egerton University held an impactful inception meeting with 28 out-of-school refugee youth at CDN Plaza in Nakuru, marking the beginning of a transformative journey toward economic self-reliance and dignity. This training introduced the participants to the ASEC-Out-of-School Youth (OSY) empowerment program with the Graduation Approach embedded as a key formula for building sustainable livelihoods. The Graduation Approach, as applied by ASEC, is a structured, group-based methodology that equips youth who are not in education or formal employment but have some work experience with practical skills, financial access, and peer support to successfully launch and sustain enterprises within Kenya’s agrifood system.
The session opened with remarks from Prof. Nancy W. Mungai, TAGDev Program Coordinator, who emphasized that refugees, despite facing displacement and limited opportunity, have the potential to thrive when equipped with the right tools, mindset, and institutional support. She encouraged the youth to take charge of their future, make use of the program’s offerings, and transform their economic realities. A representative from the Department of Refugee Services (DRS) applauded the initiative, reaffirming the government’s commitment to refugee inclusion through models that go beyond humanitarian relief and foster long-term livelihoods.

Participants were introduced to the five-step ASEC Group-Based Graduation Approach ;  contextualized for Kenya’s agrifood system which forms the backbone of the OSY training. First, a participatory onboarding process helps identify youth who demonstrate both need and motivation, using structured tools to assess their background, informal work experience, and entrepreneurial aspirations. Next, the youth are organized into Business Savings Groups (BSGs) peer units of about ten members who share common economic interests and commit to saving together, learning together, and building businesses collaboratively. These groups serve not only as financial mechanisms but also as platforms for social support, accountability, and joint planning.
Through a tailored Business Development Services (BDS) training phase, informed by a detailed training needs assessment, the youth receive hands-on, relevant capacity building in areas such as financial literacy, business planning, customer relations, and agri-value chain operations. The goal is to translate informal knowledge into structured, market-responsive business skills. The training culminates in the development of feasible business plans, either for joint ventures or individual enterprises within the group structure. Once the groups demonstrate investment readiness, each BSG receives seed financing, used to procure start-up inputs or services aligned with their approved plans. This capital is treated as a strategic investment in youth-led innovation and sustainable job creation, not just a handout.
To ensure long-term success, the final phase of the Graduation Approach centers on monitoring, mentorship, and market linkage support. Youth enterprises are regularly tracked through digital tools and supported by trained business mentors who offer personalized coaching to help navigate early-stage challenges, manage finances, and expand market reach. Youth are also linked to broader value chains, aggregation hubs, digital platforms, and microfinance institutions, creating a continuum of opportunity from startup to formal enterprise growth.

During the sessions a former program beneficiary shared his personal story; beginning with selling food door to door with very limited resources, and growing into a recognized agribusiness entrepreneur thanks to the support of TAGDev. His journey served as living proof that refugee and vulnerable youth can rise above their circumstances when given structure, skills, and support. "Nothing is a barrier to rising," he told the youth, encouraging them to build on what they already know and start small with focus and purpose.
The session also included vision journey mapping, where youth visualized their goals and mapped the steps needed to achieve them, and training needs assessments to guide the upcoming BDS sessions. These participatory activities not only sharpened their focus but also fostered peer collaboration and team-building key ingredients in the group-based approach ASEC champions.
By the end of the day, the refugees acquired more than just information, they gained a clear, structured roadmap to dignified livelihoods. The integration of the Graduation Approach within ASEC’s OSY training framework ensures that participants are not passive recipients but active drivers of their transformation. In a world where refugee youth are often marginalized or left behind, the TAGDev 2.0 Program offers a practical and proven solution that bridges the gap between vulnerability and enterprise. Through this initiative, ASEC demonstrates that even in the face of adversity, refugee youth can become resilient entrepreneurs and contributors to Kenya’s agrifood economy, one group, one business, and one breakthrough at a time.

Farmers Embrace Innovation at Egerton University’s TAGDev 2.0 Model Farm Field Day

On Thursday, 3rd July 2025, the Transforming African Agricultural Universities to Meaningfully Contribute to Africa’s Development (TAGDev 2.0) Program at Egerton University hosted a  Farmers’ Field Day at its Model Farm. The event benefitted 55 farmers from across Njoro Sub-County. The focus was on bridging the gap between research and practice, offering hands-on exposure to affordable, climate-smart Technologies, Innovations, and Management Practices (TIMPs) that smallholder farmers can adopt to enhance productivity and climate resilience.

In her welcome remarks, Prof. Nancy W. Mungai, TAGDev Program Coordinator, emphasized the uniqueness of the field day as more than a learning forum, it is a key extension tool under the Agrifood System and Entrepreneurship Consortium (ASEC). She underlined the urgency for smallholders to adapt to climate variability through adoption of drought-tolerant crops, quality planting materials, early warning systems, and access to information. Prof. Bernard O. Aduda, Deputy Vice Chancellor for Academic, Research & Extension, echoed this approach, urging collaboration between farmers and researchers. He encouraged participants to engage with the Directorate of Research, the university's research arm, to shape research that is grounded in farmers' lived realities. “The best innovations come when scholars listen to farmers,” he added.

The farmers proceeded to the TAGDev Program Model Farm, where demonstration plots showcased crops including potatoes, sorghum, sweet potatoes, beans, and sunflower. Facilitated by a team of TAGDev trainers, sessions covered practical agronomic techniques; soil fertility management, crop rotation, pest control, and sustainable land use, all aimed at countering declining soil health and low yields common among smallholder farmers. Under the research component of the model farmers, farmers appreciated integrated nutrient management in potato production. They made observations on potato growth, development and yield under different types and rates of fertilizer application and expressed interest in setting baby trials on their farmers for other farmers to learn.

Mechanization demonstrations led by Hello Tractor Kenya,  addressed the labor intensity and inefficiencies in traditional farming. Equipment such as the chisel plough was presented as a game changer, improving soil structure hence improving aeration and moisture retention while reducing labor costs. Prof. Anthony Kibe, ASEC’s Seed Potato Production Principal Investigator, led a live demo of a potato planter, showcasing how precision farming can elevate smallholder farms to commercial viability.

To address the perennial problem of poor seed quality, the Egerton University Seed Unit unveiled new, improved, and climate-resilient seed varieties—finger millet, dryland rice, pigeon peas, groundnuts, and several bean types. These varieties are specifically selected for their adaptability to local climatic conditions, high yield potential, and market demand. Farmers were also introduced to AflaSafe, a biosafety innovation that combats aflatoxin contamination in cereals—an often overlooked health hazard and post-harvest loss driver.

Beyond technologies, the field day fostered peer learning and cross-sector dialogue. Farmers shared indigenous knowledge, voiced challenges, and interacted directly with researchers and agricultural entrepreneurs. This two-way engagement helped demystify research and reinforced the value of co-creating solutions with those who work the land every day.

The Field Day directly responded to key bottlenecks faced by smallholder farmers: low yields, labor inefficiencies, poor seed quality, climate unpredictability, and limited access to extension services. By integrating practical demonstrations with knowledge transfer, farmers were empowered with tools and innovations they could implement immediately. The exposure to mechanization showed viable pathways to scale up operations, while improved seeds offered the promise of food security and better incomes.

Through the TAGDev 2.0 Model Farm Field Day, Egerton University continues to demonstrate its role as a solution-driven academic partner, translating research into action and ensuring that innovation reaches the last mile. By strengthening the link between university-generated knowledge and farmer-led innovation, TAGDev is transforming agriculture from a subsistence struggle into a pathway for resilience, enterprise, and prosperity.

The TAGDev 2.0 Program, Egerton University is privileged to be among the key partners supporting the adoption of Competence-Based Education (CBE) in higher education institutions across East Africa. Currently, a four-day training is underway at Egerton University to equip academic staff with the necessary skills and understanding to transition to CBE and to fast-track the adoption CBE across different academic programs. Speaking during the opening of the workshop, Prof. Charles M’Erimba, representing TAGDev 2.0 Program Coordinator Prof. Nancy Mungai, described the training as a “critical step toward reimagining higher education to remain not only academically rigorous but also contextually relevant and impact-driven.”

On June 18, 2025, the Dairy Training Institute (DTI) Naivasha held a stakeholder meeting to officially launch the Agrifood System & Entrepreneurship Consortium (ASEC) project under the TAGDev 2.0 program, Egerton University. The event, chaired by the Institute’s Principal and ASEC Team Leader, Mr. Abraham Biwott, brought together approximately 30 participants from diverse sectors, including government agencies, local cooperatives, community-based organizations, and private enterprises. The meeting served both as an introduction to the ASEC project and a strategic forum to explore collaborative pathways for achieving its core objectives, which include youth empowerment through dairy entrepreneurship, environmental sustainability, gender and social inclusion, and policy engagement for systemic impact.

The event attracted a wide and representative group of stakeholders from Naivasha, Gilgil, and Ol’joro-Orok sub-counties. Participants included departmental heads from DTI, officers from the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, and Cooperatives at both county and national levels, representatives from the Kenya Dairy Board, Kenya Forestry Service, Sheep and Goat Station, and the Livestock Recording Centre, as well as local administrators such as area chiefs and Members of County Assembly (MCAs). Leaders from community organizations and private sector actors also attended, reflecting strong interest in the project’s inclusive development agenda. Organizations represented included Eagle’s Green Developers, Team Climate Change Naivasha, KAMWE CBO, Eden Thriving, Banadesh Women Group, Reno Agri-foods & Dairy Academy, Aim Far, Oljoro Foods Ltd, CAP Youth Empowerment Institute, Uhotani SACCO, and the Mai Mahiu Flood Victims Chairperson.

Discussions during the meeting revolved around five interlinked themes: youth inclusion, dairy entrepreneurship, environmental sustainability, gender and social inclusion, and policy engagement. They emphasized the need to strengthen youth participation in the dairy value chain through enterprise development, technical training, and mentorship. There was a shared recognition of the importance of adopting climate-smart dairy practices to enhance environmental resilience and sustainability. Gender and social inclusion were also strongly emphasized, with calls to ensure that women and marginalized groups are fully integrated into all phases of the project. Policy representatives highlighted the need to align ASEC activities with both local and national policy frameworks to enhance sustainability and institutional backing.

Beyond formal presentations, the event provided a space for open dialogue, visioning, and inter-sectoral collaboration. Stakeholders reflected on their potential roles and proposed concrete strategies to support DTI Naivasha in realizing the ASEC vision. By the end of the session they had established a strong foundation for partnership and expressed commitment to continued collaboration through technical support, knowledge exchange, and resource mobilization. The meeting concluded with a unified call to action to work together toward transforming the dairy sector using inclusive, innovative, and sustainable approaches.