KALRO Kiboko Research Center

Tree- pasture integration at farmer field in Kibwezi. Seeds were sourced from KALRO Kiboko

Arid land rehabilitation with improved grasses

 

About the Institute 
The KALRO Arid and Range Lands Research Institute was created under the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Act of 2013. Research on arid lands started in 1969 in Kiboko. Its focus is in developing, adapting and up-scaling scientific research innovations, information and knowledge geared towards sustainably managing livelihoods of communities living in the arid and semi-arid lands.  This then entails addressing livestock, dry land crops and alternative livelihood options.

The Institute is located in ecological zone V which is not suitable for arable agriculture but ideal for extensive production of cattle, goats, sheep and camels. There is however need to develop drought tolerant varieties to support household food production. Dry land farming research was based in Katumani, Machakos County, and focussed on the development of technologies for soil and water management for the dry areas to improve crop varieties which tolerate various stresses, pests and diseases.

Location 
The Institute is located at Kiboko in Makindu Sub-County of Makueni County, about 160 km SE of Nairobi, along Mombasa - Nairobi Highway. The Institute head office is 6 km south of the Kiboko market, on Mwailu Hill. The size of the land is 15,512 ha.  It lies between latitude 2° 10' and 2° South and longitude 37° 40' and 37° 55' East.

Mandate
The Institute was established to address challenges in dry lands. Its goal is to develop technologies for re-vegetation and restoration of degraded rangelands and enhance dry land farming. The Institute's objectives are:

1. Organize, design and conduct on-station and on-farm for arid and range lands in accordance with existing policies and set priorities.
2. Identify production, policy, market, processing and utilization constraints in the in the arid and range lands; plan and execute short and long-term research programmes.
3. Identify and disseminate, in collaboration with partners and stakeholders options to improve production in arid and range lands.
4. Collaborate with the extension services and partner institutions to disseminate research results and technologies.
5. Establish and maintain contact with regional and international agricultural research centres to tap the rapid introduction, evaluation and use of improved arid and range lands technology to the country.
6. Conduct under the direction of the secretariat, annual reviews of research results obtained and modify planned research programmes accordingly.
7. Promote demand-driven participatory arid and range lands research, planning and priority setting.

Contacts
Ag Institute Director,
Arid and Range Lands Research Institute (ARLRI)
P.O. Box 12-90138
Makindu, Kenya
Tel No. +254 20353 4232
E-mail:director.arlri@kalro.org