The Kenya Climate Innovation Center (KCIC) held a DREEM Hub spoke partners meeting in Naivasha from September 18th–19th. The forum offered space to review progress, plan ahead, and explore synergies between partner organizations.
Representatives from ECLOF Kenya, Rafode (Rural Agency for Development), JKUAT, Dairy Training Institute, Kenya National Farmers’ Federation (KENAFF), Agile Consulting, African Centre for Technology Studies (ACTS), and Endustrial Support Limited attended the two-day meeting. While each partner brought unique strengths, they shared a common vision to advance the DREEM agenda.
The program is implemented through a spoke model, with each partner responsible for a distinct aspect of delivery: Program Coordination and Ecosystem Support (KCIC), Enterprise Support and Development (AGILE), Access to Finance (Rafode and ECLOF), Skill Development (DTI and JKUAT), Community Livelihood Development (KENAFF), Establishment of Agrisolar Demo Farms (Endustrial), and Research and Knowledge Management (ACTS). The DREEM Hub targets 14 horticulture and 7 dairy cooperatives, building their capacity through business and technical guidance on solar energy use in the value chains.
Led by the Program Manager, James Gatimu, KCIC DREEM, discussions focused on progress, challenges, and ways to align and strengthen partner efforts for effective program delivery. “At KCIC, we believe in collaboration and partnerships to leverage each other’s strengths as we work towards delivering our objectives. We are taking stock of current evaluations and planning ahead,” noted James Gatimu.
Throughout the meeting, partners emphasized the importance of prioritizing farmers’ needs. A key focus was on the upcoming demonstration farms in Laikipia and Kitui, which will serve as knowledge hubs where farmers can get hands-on exposure to solar-powered agricultural technologies. These sites are expected to accelerate clean energy adoption in agriculture while ensuring cooperatives remain sustainable beyond the program.
Doris Gaki of AGILE Consulting underscored the need for real impact on the ground: “It is not just about storytelling and PowerPoints. We want to see real change in the livelihoods of our beneficiaries, that is, income generation, creating employment, and increased uptake of solar energy in the future. That’s what excites me, and I’m looking forward to it.”
At the same time, attention was given to how partners, within their different mandates, can build resilience in rural communities, enhance food security, and promote clean energy adoption across Kenya’s agricultural sector. “The idea of the DREEM Hub is good, especially in the dairy and horticulture sector due to the high energy consumption. At ACTS, we are excited because it aligns with some of the projects we are running and the research we have already done on the value chains. We are in the right place, since the lessons in this program will be applied in our future programs,” noted Gregory Sikumba from ACTS.
Partners stressed the importance of addressing farmers’ challenges, particularly in value addition. One example raised was women’s inclusion, since much value addition equipment is designed in ways that disadvantage them, requiring heavy lifting or being located in isolated areas that demand long walks, discouraging participation. Reinforcing this point, Professor Benson Gathitu of Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) remarked: “We need to see the program as a university, a ‘DREEM University,’ designed to graduate farmers to the next level of growth and resilience.”
In conclusion, partners committed to empowering cooperatives to adopt innovative approaches. Felix Magaju of KCIC emphasized: “This collaboration holds immense potential in shaping sustainable value chains in dairy and horticulture. There’s no limit to what we can achieve.”
In line with this vision, the DREEM Hub has set clear program targets: 700 direct and 2,100 indirect jobs, 300,000 tonnes of CO₂ reduced, financing for 15 cooperatives, over 1,000 farmers adopting solar, and a 30% income boost for agrisolar entrepreneurs.
