Non-Ruminant Research Institute

The Institute contributes towards generating non-ruminant knowledge, innovative technologies and disseminate to farmers.

kkpigs

The Institute’s main focus is to develop improved technologies that support the upgrading and commercialization of the various non-ruminant value chains including poultry, pigs and emerging livestock. The institute’s headquarters is  located in Kakamega town, Kakamega County. The institute coordinates  Non- ruminant activities in various KALRO centres . It has centres in Kakamega and Naivasha.
The Institute has the mandate of generating and disseminating knowledge, innovative technologies and services on non-ruminant livestock for sustainable livelihoods. The Institute has the following broad objectives;

a) Generate knowledge, information and technologies that will enhance the productivity of non-ruminant livestock value
chains
b) Develop and promote markets and marketing strategies for non-ruminant livestock product value chains
c) Facilitate and advocate policy option for enhancing demand-driven non-ruminant livestock product value chains
d) Strengthen the capacity for implementing non-ruminant livestock product value chains Research
e) Catalyze the dissemination of knowledge, information, and technologies on non-ruminant livestock product value chains

                               KC1 Cocks                                                KC2 Hens                                        KC1 and KC3 mature birds                                  Large white Gilts

MANDATE

Figure 1 KC1 Month-Old Chicks

The Non-Ruminant Research Institute (NRI), established under the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Act No. 17 of 2013, focuses on advancing non-ruminant value chains through research and technical support. Its mission is to develop sustainable Technologies, Innovations, and Management Practices (TIMPS) that enhance productivity and improve livelihoods. The institute’s headquarters is in Kakamega County, with additional centers in Naivasha (Nakuru County) and Msabaha (Kilifi County). Plans are underway to establish satellite centres at KALRO Katumani and Kisii to enhance distribution of poultry chicks to other parts of the country.

In addition to its primary focus on non-ruminant research, NRI Kakamega also oversees a robust Crop and Forage Research Program. Over the years, the institute has coordinated numerous crop and forage initiatives, leading to the development and release of high yielding, disease-tolerant, short-season maturing crop varieties that also contribute to soil fertility enhancement.

 

 
                         KC3 Day-old chicks at KALRO Kakamega                                                        Eggs (photo taken at KALRO Kakamega)

 

Research Areas

The institute conducts basic, applied and adaptive research organized in these areas:

  1. Poultry germplasm development, genetic improvement, and multiplication.
  2. Piggery germplasm development, genetic improvement and multiplication.
  3. Rabbits germplasm development, genetic improvement and multiplication
  4. Commercialization/marketing participation
  5. Natural Resource Management and Climate change
  6. Food science, value addition and quality assurance
  7. Non-ruminants health and Management
  8. Feeds and nutrition research
  9. Socioeconomic, outreach and partnership.

Others include

  • Maize research programs
  • Legumes research
  • Rice
  • Forage research
  • Roots and tubers
  • Post harvest and waste management
  • Sorghum and finger millet

Our vision is to achieve excellence in non-ruminant research, leading to transformed livelihoods. To realize this, our mission is to conduct cutting-edge research by applying science, technology, and innovation to catalyze sustainable growth and development in non-ruminant value chains.

Our core values emphasize customer focus, professionalism, integrity, innovation, collaboration, and environmental responsibility, guiding us in all aspects of our work.

CORE FUNCTIONS

  1. To develop, validate and promote improved non-ruminant breeds
  2. To develop and promote non-ruminant management practices
  3. To develop, validate and promote improved feeds and feeding systems
  4. To develop and promote processing and value addition of non-ruminant products
  5. To promote conservation of non-ruminant genetic resources

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

Our research and development efforts are guided by several priority areas, each critical to ensuring sustainable and climate-resilient food systems in Kenya. These areas include:

  1. Climate-Smart Food Systems: Integrating climate adaptation and mitigation strategies into non-ruminant production practices to ensure food security in the face of climate change.
  2. Climate-Resilient feeds and non-ruminant Systems: Developing and promoting feed solutions, breeding programs, and management practices that enhance non-ruminants resilience to changing environmental conditions.
  3. Policy and Governance for Climate-Resilient Food Systems: Advocating for supportive policies and governance structures to foster sustainable non-ruminant production and consumption patterns.
  4. Gender and Social Equity: Ensuring that our research and development initiatives address gender-specific needs and promote inclusivity in the non-ruminant sector.
  5. Skills Development, Transfer, and Dissemination: Empowering stakeholders through capacity-building programs and knowledge dissemination to improve non-ruminant management practices.
  6. One Health: Recognizing the interlinkages between livestock health, human health, and environmental well-being to promote holistic approaches in livestock research.

Capacity Building in Technology, Information and Management Practices (TIMPs) including:

  1. Feed formulation
  2. Poultry Housing
  3. Disease management
  4. Hatchery management
  5. Brooding management
  6. Breeder flock management
  7. Technical backstopping for farmers, CIGs and POs
  8. Nutritional analysis of poultry feeds and ingredients

Policy Support

  • Through non-ruminant research, progressive evidences have been availed to policy makers to make decisions that enhance the promotion of non-ruminant value chain activities
  • Impact evaluations studies carried out by Scientists at the Institute has assisted policy makers to forecast potential outcomes and measuring past policy effects.  
  • The Institute has availed policy briefs that amplifies complex findings into actionable insights for decision makers
  • Advances in data collection such as use of ODK apps and analysis procedures have assisted in generating real time data for monitoring and supporting policy decisions

NRI Kakamega Centre

Contacts
NRI Kakamega
P.O. Box 169-500100
Kakamega
Telephone 020 2619792
Email: director.nri@kalro.org

 

NRI collaborates with various national, regional and international organizations, including:

  1. Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development
  2. County Government of Kakamega
  3. County Government of Vihiga
  4. County Government of Busia
  5. County Government of Siaya
  6. County Government of Bungoma
  7. County Government of Nandi
  8. Kenya Industrial Research and Development Institute (KIRDI)
  9. Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology (https://www.mmust.ac.ke/)
  10. Rongo University (https://www.rongovarsity.ac.ke/)
  11. Bukura Agricultural College
  12. High breed Chicks and Agriculture
  13. Anglican Development Services (ADS ) western
  14. ADS North rift
  15. Ingo Agrichems
  16. Kenya National Farmers Federation (KENAFF)
  17. Micro Enterprise Support Programme (MESPT)
  18. Ripple Effect Kenya (https://rippleeffect.org/)
  19. Rural Outreach Africa (ROA)
  20. CIMMYT
  21. Support for Tropical Initiatives in Poverty Alleviation (STIPA)
  22. Blue cross Nyatike
  1. Developed three improved chicken breeds (KC1, KC2 and KC3)
  2. Availed over 1.7 million improved indigenous chicken to farmers
  3. Analyzed over 2,000 feed samples
  4. Developed, documented and promoted thirteen chicken management practices
  5. Formulated and tested five new chicken feed rations
  6. Developed and tested a thermostable Newcastle (AVIVAX I-2) vaccine
  7. Biobanking of 234 indigenous chicken primordial germ cells at International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI)
  8. Digitize poultry and pigs booking and delivery services
  9. Generated and promoted use of socio-economics information to support non-ruminant value chain.
  10. Conducted economic analysis of chicken and availed information for policy formulation on pricing and governance of the value chains.

The most important characteristics of Kalro improved indigenous chicken are:

  1. Faster growth rate,
  2. Higher feed conversion efficiency,
  3. Higher egg-laying capacity,
  4. Disease tolerance,
  5. High meat quality
  6. Adapt easily to free range system

 

                                          KC3 Flock at KALRO Kakamega                                                      KC3 Month-old Chicks

Institute Director Dr Joseph W. Munyasi, handing over Day Old Chicks to KeLCOP Kakamega County team led by Ms. Jessica Wesonga, Chief Officer, Livestock and Fisheries Kakamega County

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Services Offered:

  1. The following should be shown as products and services available at KALRO Kakamega centre
    1. Farmer short courses / Training
    2. Lab / feed analysis
    3. Accommodation  / Guest house
    4. Conference facilities
    5. Improved indigenous chicken and pigs genetics by providing:
      • Day old chicks
      • Month old chicks
      • Hatching eggs
      • Breeding cocks
      • Boars
      • Sows
      • Piglets
      • Value addition
    6. Statistics and data analysis
    7. Consultancy
    8. Academic tours
    9. Industrial Attachment
    10. Brachiaria splits
    11. Napier cuttings
    12. Guatemala fodder
    13. Sweet potatoe vines
    14. Cassava cuttings
    15. KALRO seeds- Maize, beans, soybeans, groundnuts, African leave vegetables, finger millet, sorghum, simsism,
    16. Tissue culture plant materials
    17. Fruit seedlings
    18. Breading bulls
    19. Sale of culled animals

     
KC3 Day old chicks at KALRO Kakamega            KC1 Day Old chicks at KALRO Kakamega          Brooding of chicks in progress at KALRO Naivasha

    

KC3 Flock at KALRO Naivasha                                       KC1 Cocks at KALRO Kakamega                        KC2 Hens at KALRO Kakamega

     

KC1 and KC3 mature birds at KALRO Kakamega      Large white pigs in a standard piggery house at KALRO Naivasha    Large white Gilts at NRI Naivasha


Insitu and Primordial germ conservation of chicken genetic materials of 12 ecotypes in Kenya 

Contacts
Institute Director,
Non-Ruminant Research Institute
P.O. Box 169-500100
Kakamega
Telephone 020 2619792
Email: director.nri@kalro.org, Website: www.kalro.org