Training
Practical skills, real-world context
CETRAD offers short-term training courses designed to impart technical skills and provide field-based, practical exposure to trainees drawn from government and NGO institutions. Academic training programmes are offered at Masters, PhD, and Post-Doc levels through collaborating local and foreign universities.
All training is grounded in CETRAD’s long-term research base and field experience in the Ewaso Ng’iro basin — giving participants exposure to real datasets, real landscapes, and real communities.
Government staff, NGO professionals, Masters & PhD students, development practitioners, county officials, and conservation specialists working in ASAL regions.
Available training tracks
GIS & Remote Sensing for Resource Management
Practical spatial analysis applied to dryland and pastoral ecosystems. Covers ArcGIS, QGIS, satellite imagery interpretation, and land use change analysis. Target: government staff, NGO professionals.
Hydrological Monitoring & Data Analysis
Field methods for hydromet data collection, processing, and early warning system interpretation. Includes hands-on use of CETRAD’s own monitoring network and datasets.
Rangeland Assessment & Land Use Planning
Techniques for rangeland condition assessment, biodiversity monitoring, and county-level land use planning. Designed for county government practitioners and conservation professionals.
Research Methods for Dryland Development
Survey design, mixed-methods research, data analysis, and scientific writing for dryland development contexts. Suitable for Masters and PhD students as well as development practitioners.
Training programmes open for enrolment
The following courses are currently accepting applications. Click "Apply Now" to submit your application directly — you will receive a confirmation email with next steps.
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Masters, PhD & Post-Doc
CETRAD provides a platform for academic training at Masters, PhD, and Post-Doctoral levels through collaborating universities. Students undertake research, field excursions, trans-local seminars, and thesis work at CETRAD’s facilities in Nanyuki.
Masters Level
Thesis-based field research and supervised study. Students from partner universities undertake fieldwork and data collection within CETRAD’s research programmes.
PhD Level
Doctoral researchers are hosted at CETRAD for extended field campaigns, benefiting from institutional infrastructure, data access, and expert supervision across all four research thrusts.
Post-Doctoral
Post-doctoral researchers collaborate on CETRAD’s active research projects, contributing to publications and mentoring junior scientists and students.
University of Nairobi
Kenyatta University
USIU Africa
Sokoine University, Tanzania
British Institute in Eastern Africa
Pioneer International University
Egerton University
Ready to join a CETRAD programme?
Applications for open courses are accepted above. Contact us to enquire about upcoming short courses, academic attachment availability, or to arrange customised training for government agencies and NGOs.
Our Graduates
CETRAD alumni span short course graduates and academic programme participants from across Kenya and the region — now working in government, academia, NGOs, and the private sector.
No alumni classes found for 2026. Please select another year.
Want to join our alumni network?
Enrol in one of our training programmes and become part of our growing community of professionals advancing sustainable development.