Research Areas

The institute has the following broad objectives:

1. Generate technologies and innovations for agricultural products value chains;
2. Collate, store and share knowledge, information and technologies on agricultural products value chains;
3. Generate and advocate use of socio-economics information, market and policy options supporting agricultural product value chains;
4. Strengthen the organization’s capacities and resource management;
5. Develop and operationalize systems for coordination, prioritization and regulation of agricultural research.

Core Functions

1. Research and Development:

Research and development thematic areas are; dairy genetic improvement; pasture and fodder improvement; feeds and nutrition; natural resource management; socio-economics and policy development; animal health; product development and post-harvest management; knowledge management, outreach and partnerships.

Dairy Genetic Improvement

The research thrusts in this thematic area include:

1. Use of assisted reproductive techniques (ART) to enhance dairy germplasm development, multiplication and distribution to farmers in Kenya
2. Use of sexed semen from genetically superior sires for the production of heifers
3. Use of genomic selection tools for early selection of breeding animals for accelerated genetic gain on economically important dairy traits.
4. Crossbreeding, genotype by environment matching, community-based breeding schemes.

Pasture and Fodder Improvement

Research on pasture and fodder covers breeding, agronomy, pest and disease management and germplasm conservation. Research thrusts include:

1. Development and validation of climate-smart technologies in breeding and multiplication of pasture and fodder varieties suitable for ASAL areas
2. Development of good agricultural practices in agronomy, harvesting and preservation, and utilization of pastures and fodder in semi-arid environments
3. Novel technologies for control of pests and diseases in pasture and fodder production

     
Range grass Seeds

Feeds and Nutrition

The main research focus in this thematic area includes the use of agro-industrial by-products, fortified feeds, feed, and food safety, probiotics, novel feeds, water, product development (Value addition, branding, product shelf life, protocols for product development), and quality assurance.  Some research thrusts include:

1. Conventional methods of conservation and utilization of feed resources for climate change resilience
2. Development, validation and popularization feed rations formulated from local feed resources
3. Feed fortification addressing nutritional requirements for optimal production in dairy cattle, camels and dairy goats.
4. Monitoring and management of mycotoxin in animal feeds and dairy products
5. Development of feed products safe from mycotoxin for dairy animal feeding
6. Building technical capacity to identify potential feed safety hazard in dairy feed value chains

Natural Resource Management

This thematic area carries out research in nutrient recycling, waste management, animal welfare and behaviour, natural resource management and climate change. Thrusts include:

1. Analysis of Green House Gas (GHG) emission under intensive smallholder dairy production system for input into the national GHG inventory
2. Measuring the carbon footprint of dairy products and investigation of positive and negative impacts of dairy production on the environment
3. Research on low GHG emission manure management technologies

Animal Health

This thematic area supports the core value chains through the development of TIMPs on livestock disease management for improved productivity and quality of animal products. The research thrust include:

1. Developing of appropriate TIMPs to reduce incidences and effects of animal diseases and other health issues affecting the dairy sector.
2. Implementation One Health Approach (OHA) to ensure protection of public, animal and environmental health.
3. Sustaining dairy farmer livelihoods by ensuring the supply of quality and hygienic animal products for trade and household consumption.

Product Development and Post-harvest Management

This theme includes:

1. Development of various milk products from cattle and dairy goats
2. Capacity building of MSMEs in product development and diversification
3. Quality assurance of dairy products for safety and trade.

Dairy Socioeconomics and Policy Development

This theme addresses baseline studies, market research, gender and equity issues, technology adoption and up-scaling, ex-ante and ex-post impact assessment, policy issues, outcome mapping, participatory monitoring and evaluation, research designs, data analysis, and systems modeling.

Knowledge Management, Outreach and Partnerships

This theme includes:

1. Strengthening collaboration and partnerships with organizations, firms and institutions geared towards promotion of science, technology and innovations
2. Local, national and international visits, students’ attachments and corporate communications
3. Developing strategies of strengthening livestock and technology innovation and information exchange platforms (agricultural shows, demos, field days, FFS).
4. Information packaging, dissemination, publications, ICTs, websites, blogs, conferencing and seminars.

Non-Ruminant Research programme

 The Major activities are indigenous chicken and pig breeding. 

 The thrust areas are in:

1. Selection and breeding of improved indigenous chicken
2. Multiplication and distribution
3. Development of alternative protein feed sources
4. Farmer training on best practices
5. Premodial germplasm conservation of indigenous chicken

Demand for quality breeding stock of pigs has been on the increase in the Country. The thrust of the pig breeding section are:

1. Multiplication and distribution of breeding animals
2. Piloting of artificial insemination in pig breeding

Aquaculture And Apiculture

• Testing nutritive value and biomass under different forms of fertilizer including:vermicast,frass,dap and vermicompost

II. Dissemination of Research Outputs

Field trials and demonstrations; Field days, Shows, and exhibitions; Information sharing through digital and electronic platforms; scientific conferences and symposia; print materials.

2. Capacity Building:

The institute provides capacity building to stakeholders through:

1. Training of farmer groups on identified needs for best agricultural practices under one-week course programmes
2. Training of extension staff in dairy and poultry
3. Training of MSMEs in dairy and feeds value addition as well as quality assurance
4. Consultancies in identified areas of dairy and non-ruminant (poultry and pigs) value chains
5. Post-graduate students’ supervision
6. Industrial attachment
7. Study tours for farmers and students
8. Higher learning opportunities for scientists and technical staff through projects

3. Policy Support:

Some of the recent participation by the Institute are:

1. Review of Intellectual Property Policy 2019
2. Review for Policies for National Agricultural Research Systems (NARS), 2021
3. Livestock (Animal Feeds) Regulations 2023
4. The Livestock (Poultry Industry) Regulations 2023
5. Livestock (Breeding) Regulations 2023

The Research Institute has made significant contributions to Kenya’s agricultural sector, including:

1. Release range grass seeds varieties (Ceci TVT3, MGD1, ENMA and CHROX)
2. Development and formulation of livestock diet rations for ASALs (attached livestock technology information cards)
3. KALRO-ICSIAPL Factsheets (attached factsheets)
4. In 2023, KALRO planned and implemented 6 field days (two in each project county). A total of 655 farmers comprising 419 male (64%) and 236 (36%) females attended the field days. About 30% of the total participants in the three counties were youth below the age of 35.

The Institute collaborates with various national and international organizations, including:

• National government ministries and departments, County Governments – (Narok, Kajiado, Makueni, Taita Taveta, etc.)
• Farmers, farmers association and community-based organizations
• Public and private extension service providers
• Non-government organization, development agencies and international research institutions
• Livestock/agricultural private sector
• Agricultural and veterinary bodies
• Learning institutions (Primary, Secondary, University and other tertiary institutions)
• General public

Services Offered

Contact Information

Physical Address: Kiboko, Makindu Sub-County Makueni County

Postal  Address: P.O BOX 12-90138. MAKINDU 
Website: http://www.kalro.org/
Email: director.arlri@kalro.org
Official Phone: 0722289697/0794107782