Horticultural research in Kenya dates back to 1947, when research on temperate fruits (pears, plums, peaches and grapes) was established at the National Pyrethrum and Horticultural Research Centre, Molo.  This was followed by the establishment of the National Horticultural Research Station (NHRS) Thika, in 1957, under the Ministry of Agriculture. In 1989 the centre was renamed the National Horticultural Research Centre under the Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI). In 2000, the centre was again renamed the KARI-Thika Research Centre. The Centre was effective 1st July 2014 elevated to the Horticulture Research Institute with four Centres i.e KALRO Kandara (Muranga), KALRO Tigoni (Kiambu) and KALRO-Sericulture (Muranga).