The Centre is mandated to undertake research in all aspects of production, management, postharvest and value addition of coconut, cashew, bixa and other key value chains such as cereals, root and tubers, vegetables, tree crops, dairy and indigenous chicken in the mandate Counties. The outputs from research activities implemented are to support the national industrial crops industry. The mandate Counties are Kilifi, Lamu and Tana River. The objectives are:

1. To generate and promote technologies and innovations for demand-driven industrial crops product value chains.
2. To develop and promote markets and marketing strategies for industrial crops product value chains.
3. To facilitate and advocate policy option for enhancing demand-driven industrial crops product value-chains.
4. To strengthen the capacity for implementing industrial crops value chains research.
5. To enhance availability of knowledge, information, and technologies on industrial crops product value chain research.