Research Mandate
Mandate
The Institute’s mandate is “to promote research and investigate problems related to tea and such other crops and systems of husbandry as are associated with tea throughout Kenya including the productivity, quality and suitability of land in relation to tea planting; and matters ancillary thereto”.
Vision and mission
Vision
“A global leader in research on tea”.
Mission
“Generate and disseminate sustainable technologies and knowledge through innovative research for improved productivity, processing, value addition and marketing of the Kenyan tea while conserving the environment”.
The Tea Research Institute focuses on development of improved clones, appropriate technologies for improvement of yield (quantity of green tea leaf/made tea per hectare) and quality of tea products. In addition the Institute will:
| 1. | Organize, design and carry out on-station and on-farm tea research in their respective sectors of agricultural research in accordance with current policies and priorities |
| 2. | Identify production, policy, market, processing and utilisation constraints the tea sub sector, and plan short and long-term research programmes |
| 3. | Identify and disseminate, in collaboration with other relevant agencies, appropriate systems of mechanization and technology, options to improve agricultural production and provide answers to foreseeable problems facing the tea production |
| 4. | Collaborate with the extension and other partner organizations to disseminate research results and technologies |
| 5. | Establish and maintain regular contact with regional and international agricultural • research centres to ensure the rapid introduction, evaluation and use of tea improved technology beneficial to the country |
| 6. | Conduct, in association with the secretariat, annual reviews of research results and modify research programmes as appropriate |
| 7. | Promote demand-driven participatory research, planning and priority setting |