For 134 students from the department of Animal Science at Egerton University, the journey from learning to earning is taking shape through a new poultry enterprise designed to equip them with practical skills, create employment opportunities and strengthen their participation in Kenya’s agricultural value chains. TAGDev 2.0 officially inducted the team behind the Integrated Poultry Hatchery, Brooding and Chick Mash Production Enterprise, marking an important step towards putting the program’s mandate into practice.
The enterprise brings together hatchery management, brooding operations and chick mash production in one integrated model aimed at building a sustainable and income-generating platform for young people.
The initiative reflects TAGDev 2.0’s broader commitment to contribute to transforming Egerton University into an institutions that meaningfully contribute to Africa’s growth and development. Rather than limiting learning to the classroom, the program is supporting opportunities where young people can gain skills, apply knowledge and participate directly in agricultural enterprises. This is transformative education.
At the center of the initiative are 134 young women and men who will take part in different aspects of the enterprise. Through structured roles and hands-on activities, they will be exposed to hatchery management, chick brooding, feed formulation and other activities along the poultry value chain. This is expected to give the students a stronger understanding of how a poultry enterprise operates while preparing them for employment and entrepreneurship opportunities whether starting their own enterprises or supporting other poultry farmers.
The enterprise will run for 13 production cycles of 1 month each, during which the team will hatch, brood and feed thousands of chicks. Each production cycle will provide an opportunity for the students to strengthen their skills, gain experience and understand the demands of running a poultry enterprise. Beyond production, the initiative is intended to create a pipeline of skilled and job-ready young people who can contribute to Kenya’s growing poultry sector.
The integrated nature of the project is particularly important because it exposes the students to more than one stage of the poultry value chain. From incubation and hatchery operations to brooding and feed production, the young women and men will have an opportunity to understand how different activities connect to support productivity and profitability.
For this young participants, the enterprise represents more than a training opportunity. It provides a pathway to build skills that can be applied beyond the project, whether through employment, starting their own enterprises or supporting other poultry farmers. By gaining experience in areas such as hatchery management and feed formulation, participants can position themselves to respond to real opportunities within the agricultural sector.The project also demonstrates the potential of agricultural universities to serve as centres for innovation, enterprise development and youth empowerment. By linking education with production and income-generating activities, TAGDev 2.0 is helping to create an environment where young people can turn knowledge into action and agricultural challenges into opportunities.
The induction of the team therefore marks the beginning of a longer journey. As the 13 production cycles unfold, the students will not only contribute to the production of chicks and feed but will also gain experience that can shape their future careers and enterprises.
Through the Integrated Poultry Hatchery, Brooding and Chick Mash Production Enterprise, TAGDev 2.0 is putting its mandate into action connecting learning, skills development and enterprise creation to meaningful opportunities for young women and men. The initiative demonstrates that when agricultural education is linked to real production and market opportunities, universities can play a powerful role in preparing young people to contribute to Africa’s agricultural transformation.
By: Purity Kanyiva
Coomunication Intern,TAGDev Program