The Dairy Training Institute (DTI), as an implementing partner of the ASEC Project, joined other institutions at the ASEC Partners’ Meeting held on 19th August 2025 at Egerton University’s TAGDev Center. The meeting formed part of the National Research Festival 2025 and provided a vibrant platform for partners to reflect on achievements, challenges, and lessons learned in implementing the ASEC Project.
Participants included representatives from Egerton University (TAGDev team), Karatina University, Embu University, Pwani University, Baraka Agricultural Training College, Nyandarua National Polytechnic, and DTI. The meeting featured opening reflections from TAGDev leadership and RUFORUM, partner presentations, and a session on financial accountability.
DTI’s presentation highlighted its four-year (2025–2029) partnership project with Egerton University, targeting Gilgil, Naivasha, and Ol Jororok. The project aims to create 1,500 jobs, establish seven agribusiness start-ups, engage 300 out-of-school youth, plant 100,000 trees, and equip 5,000 smallholder farmers with new skills. In its first quarter, DTI successfully launched a stakeholder forum, initiated a baseline survey, developed youth mobilization materials, and laid the groundwork for fodder plots, tree nurseries, and cooperative training. Strategic collaborations with agencies such as the Kenya Forest Service, Kenya Dairy Board, NGOs, and county governments further strengthened implementation.Lessons learned included the value of early stakeholder engagement, improved monitoring and evaluation, and stronger collaboration with Egerton University.
The meeting reaffirmed the importance of collaboration, accountability, and shared learning in driving ASEC’s mission. For DTI, it was more than just participation it was an opportunity to showcase its impact, strengthen networks, and reaffirm its role as a catalyst for innovation, youth empowerment, and sustainable transformation in Kenya’s agri-food systems.