Our History

Animal Health Industry Training Institute (AHITI) Nyahururu was started at on the land currently occupied by Laikipia University in 1979.
The Institute took over from the phased out Large Scale Farm Managers Training College. The Government of Kenya acknowledged the great need for frontline personnel in the Livestock Sub-sector while the demand for managers of large scale farms was diminishing due to land subdivision. AHITI Nyahururu was started as the second Institute to AHITI Kabete to train Veterinary Paraprofessionals for the directorate of Veterinary Services.

After the Structural Adjustments policies of 1986, the Institute continued to train the frontline personnel for the Livestock Subsector in general. The first In-take of 160 students to take a two year rigorous training in Animal Health was done in 1979. Training continued at the same facility until February 1988 when through a Presidential Directive, Laikipia Teachers College was opened in the same premises to train Diploma in Education.

After one year, the Diploma Teachers Training College was handed over to Egerton University as a constituent College to train Degree and Diploma in Education and was renamed Laikipia Campus. The entry of the University resulted in the exit of AHITI Nyahururu from the premises. Since the demand for well-trained competent frontline staff in the Livestock Sub-sector was still high, the Ministry of Livestock Development and the Provincial Administration identified Ojoro orok Farmers Training Centre to host on temporarily basis the continuing students awaiting construction and development of a fully-fledged Animal Health and Industry Training Institute at the then KARI Oljoro orok Farm.
In 2004, the Board of Management of KARI allocated 100 acres of land to develop AHITI Nyahururu. Construction of necessary buildings for student learning, accommodation, catering and animal housing structures to enable the re-location of the Institute started in 2008/2009. The students continued to stay and learn at the Agricultural Training Centre until January 2017 when the Institute moved to the current site on the land given by KARI (KALRO) Oljoro orok. Despite the challenges of re-locating several times, the original spirit of training highly skilled frontline and middle level staff in the Livestock sector has been maintained. Currently the Institution offers 3 programs: Diploma in Animal Health and Production, Upgrading to Diploma course in Animal Health and Production for holders Certificate in Animal Health and Production; and Certificate course in Animal health and Production. As the Institute physical infrastructure is developed, more course will be launched.