Training & Capacity Building
Practical, hands-on programmes for farmers, agri-businesses, students, and researchers — nurturing a new generation of profitable, resilient beef producers across Kenya.
Where Great Beef Begins
"To nurture a new generation of profitable, resilient beef producers meeting Kenya's growing demand for quality beef."
We believe that knowledge is the foundation of agricultural success. Our training programmes combine theoretical understanding with hands-on practical experience, equipping participants with skills they can immediately apply in their own operations.
At Gatiko, our feedlot and farm serve as a living classroom — a real, commercially operating environment where every lesson is grounded in what actually works in Kenya's livestock sector. Training is not an add-on; it is core to who we are.
Whether you are a smallholder farmer, agri-business operator, student, conservancy manager, or researcher — Gatiko Training Centre has a programme for you.
Our Six Focus Areas
Our Gatiko Training Centre curriculum is built around six core areas — each developed from real operational experience running a fully integrated feedlot and beef value chain in Nanyuki, Laikipia.
- Profitable beef production and cost control
- Feedlot design and infrastructure setup
- Animal health, welfare, and performance tracking
- Fodder production, conservation, and efficient feeding
- Cattle selection and preparation for fattening
- Marketing, record keeping, and business management
Our Training Programmes
Four structured training formats — designed to meet participants wherever they are, from community cooperatives to individual operators to academic institutions.
Interactive workshops for farming communities, cooperatives, and agri-groups — covering livestock management, animal health, feed production, and sustainable practices. Conducted monthly at our Nanyuki facility or at partner locations.
- Monthly scheduled sessions
- Hands-on demonstrations in our feedlot
- Peer learning and community Q&A
- Certificate of completion issued
- Training materials provided
Personalised one-on-one sessions tailored to your specific operation, challenges, and goals. Whether setting up a feedlot from scratch or troubleshooting a performance issue, our experts provide customised, actionable guidance.
- On-farm visit assessments
- Customised action plans
- Ongoing support access
- Problem-solving focus
- Flexible scheduling available
Comprehensive educational experiences for students pursuing agricultural studies — real-world exposure to a commercially operating feedlot, silage production system, and full beef value chain. Learn by doing in a genuine integrated operation.
- Internship and attachment opportunities
- Field placement programmes
- Practical skill development
- Industry networking access
- Career guidance and mentorship
Partnerships with academic institutions and research organisations to advance knowledge in sustainable livestock management. Gatiko's feedlot serves as a real-world research environment with consistent management, performance data, and full field access.
- Field research access and support
- Data collection facilitation
- Trial implementation on-farm
- Knowledge sharing agreements
- Publication collaboration welcome
Our Team & Field Experience
From pen-side feedlot demonstrations to open-field assessments and classroom sessions, our team brings genuine passion and deep operational expertise to every programme.
Our team with trainees inside the cattle pens — Nanyuki Feedlot
Directors' field assessment — Laikipia grasslands
Group training session — theory & practical integration
Our Training Approach
We combine proven methodologies with practical, field-based learning to ensure every participant leaves with immediately applicable skills — not just theory.
We begin by understanding each participant's background, current operation, challenges, and learning objectives — so every programme is properly calibrated from day one.
Building solid conceptual understanding through clear explanations, visual aids, and evidence-based practices drawn from Kenya's livestock sector and global feedlot science.
Hands-on experience inside our working feedlot, fodder fields, and silage facility — demonstrating real techniques and allowing participants to practise under expert supervision.
Ongoing mentorship and consultation to help participants successfully implement what they have learned in their own contexts — because learning doesn't stop at the gate.
Learning in a Real Commercial Operation
Unlike classroom-only programmes, Gatiko training takes place inside a fully functioning feedlot, fodder farm, and beef value chain. Every lesson is demonstrated in the real environment — making skills transferable and confidence-building from day one.
What We Cover
Our curriculum is built from real operational experience — covering every dimension of a profitable, well-managed beef enterprise.
Understanding production economics, cost-per-kg-gain, feed efficiency, and margin management. Trainees learn to run a feedlot as a business — not just a farm.
Planning pen layouts, water systems, feed bunks, shade structures, and manure management. A well-designed feedlot dramatically improves performance and reduces costs.
Vaccination programmes, parasite control, early disease detection, daily health observation, and humane handling — all essential for protecting investment and quality outcomes.
Silage from maize and sorghum, hay making, lucerne cultivation, ration formulation, and feed storage — the backbone of efficient and cost-effective feedlot nutrition.
How to identify animals with strong growth potential, assess body condition, evaluate breed suitability, and manage the sourcing, transport, and feedlot entry process.
Market channel selection, pricing, buyer relationships, individual animal data recording, performance analysis, and business planning for sustainable feedlot operations.
Training Is For You If…
Gatiko Training Centre welcomes participants from across the beef and livestock value chain — from individual farmers to large agri-enterprises.
Looking to start or improve a feedlot enterprise, reduce production costs, or gain access to better markets for your cattle.
Seeking to professionalise your operation, improve feed efficiency, or expand into feedlot-based beef production for commercial markets.
Agricultural students and researchers needing practical exposure to real-world commercial feedlot and livestock management systems.
Conservation organisations and development programmes supporting pastoral communities to transition toward more efficient cattle finishing systems.
Begin Your Training Journey With Gatiko
Whether you're a farmer, student, researcher, or agri-business operator — we have a programme to help you build profitable, sustainable beef production skills.
Nanyuki, Laikipia County, Kenya · +254 722 774 724 · [email protected]
Other Services We Offer
Training is one part of Gatiko's fully integrated beef value chain.