Browsing by Author "Bett, C."
Now showing 1 - 2 of 2
- Results Per Page
- Sort Options
Item Arid and Range Lands Research Institute Annual Report 2022-2023(Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization, 2023) Katiku, P.N.; Bett, C.; Ogillo, B.P.; Manyeki, J.K.; Wambulwa, L.M.; Kuria, S.G.; Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research OrganizationThe Arid and Range Lands Research Institute (ARLRI) is one of the Institutes created under the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Act No 17 of 2013 to drive the research agenda and provide technical support to the livestock sub-sector with a focus on the rangelands of Kenya. The mandate of the ARLRI is to develop appropriate Technologies, Innovations and Management Practices (TIMPs) geared towards increased livestock productivity and sustainable management of landscapes that guarantees living income and quality life to communities living in the rangelands of Kenya. The Institute headquarters (HQ) is in Kiboko, Makueni County and has range grass ecotypes testing sites in Katumani (Kambe Mawe), Buchuma, Mariakani, Lanet and Alupe and Perkerra. The institute does basic, applied, adaptive research and facilitate the use of improved TIMPs in priority agricultural products value chains including beef, goat, range grass and fodder legume hay, range grass and legume seed in order to achieve and maintain self-sufficiency in feeds and food among the rangeland communities. The institute partners and collaborates with individual farmers, producer organizations, national and county governments, international development and research organizations in undertaking its research and technology transfer programs. Through these links, the institute is currently implementing 3 research projects funded to the tune of KES. 19 million for 2 years mainly by the EU, Government of the Kingdom of Netherlands and the World Bank. The main areas covered by these projects are; registration and release of range grass varieties, development of agronomic packages for the grasses, development of beef finishing and dairy improvement feeding innovations, commercial production of range grass and fodder legume seeds and technology transfer.Item NUTRIENT MONITORING (NUTMON) RECONNAISANIE SURVEY IN THE SEMI-ARID AREAS OF EASTERN KENYA.(Kenya Agricultural Research Institute, 1998) Kenya Agricultural Research Institute - National Dry Land Farming Research Centre- Katumani; Ikombo, B. M. (Team Leader); Bett, C.; Gikonyo, E. W.; Ngugi, P. T.; Gachimbi, L. N.; Kenya Agricultural Research InstituteThere is a problem of low yields due to poor soil fertility in the agro-ecological zones (AEZ) IV and V in Eastern Kenya (Simpson et al., 1992). Most of the soils are sandy with low organic matter content. In particular, nitrogen and phosphorus deficiency is widespread in maize crops that are grown continuously on cultivated land without nutrient replenishment (Okalebo et al. 1992). Normal farming practice in the region involves little return of crop residues. Farm resources do not allow purchases of fertilizers (Rukandema 1984), and manure use is limited by its poor quality and unavailability (Probert et al., 1992). Continuous cultivation without replenishment of plant nutrients must in time result in productivity declining to low levels. In order to design appropriate and integrated nutrient management strategies, the nutrient flows at farm level need to be clearly understood. A nutrient balance study was conducted in three wetter districts in Kenya (Van de Bosch et al., 1997) and partial balances of +35 kgN, +15 kgP and +51 kg K ha¹ yr¹ were achieved. Such studies have not been conducted in the semi-arid areas of Eastern Kenya. A nutrient monitoring reconnaissance survey was therefore conducted in Machakos, Kitui, Mwingi, Makueni and Kajiado district in order to familiarise the researchers with the land use systems, sensitise the stakeholders on the need to monitor nutrient flows and assess the farmers knowledge on the concept of nutrient flow at farm level.
