Kari Corporate Plan Jan 1994

Abstract

From its beginning, the National Agricultural Research Project 1987/88-1992/93 or NARP I was envisioned as a five year slice of a long tenn project covering agricultural research and development activities. These activities address various aspects of generation, development and transfer of technological packages in support of the national goals as they relate to the crop and livestock production sector. The objectives of NARP encompassed the development of a consolidated and better managed national agricultural research instrument of the government designed to provide appropriate and sustainable production technologies for the agricultural sector. These technologies are expected to be more efficient in utilization of production factors of land, labour and investment and thus justifying the continued employment of these resources in crop and livestock production sectors. In the course of NARP I, 1988-1993, satisfactory progress was made in certain areas including the consolidation and reorganization of KARl; the Development of the human resource; a clearer definition of research programmes, mandates of various national and regional centres and prioritization of national and regional centres and prioritization of programmes at various levels; refurbishment of the infrastructure; and development and transfer of technology. Finally during the last several years, a better picture has emerged of the limitations which hindered the full attainment of objectives speIt out in the NARP I and the need for KARl to actively participate in not the generation but also in the development and transfer of technology. In this new role, the need for fostering a much closer linkage between the researcher on the one hand and the extension and the farmer on the other hand cannot be overemphasised. Similarly the contribution of the socio-economist to both the development of technology on the one hand and the transfer and adoption of the recommended packages assumes a very important position