Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI): National Agricultural Research Laboratories Centre Research Project 1988

Abstract

The National Agricultural Laboratories is assigned national responsibility for the organization and provision of specialist research and services in the areas of soil resources and soil survey, agricultural chemistry, crop protection (entomology, plant pathology and weed science) and post-harvest systems. The centre's specialist research services will be developed to backstop research in these areas in the national network of national and regional research centres. Special areas of emphasis will be in soil science research on soil fertility, chenical and biofertilization, nutrient management and soil and plant tissue analysis. Another area of special responsibility will be pest and pathogen research (biology, ecology, taxonomy, identification etc.) and pesticide residue analysis. The Centre will collaborate with National Research Centres (NRCs) and Regional Research Centres (RRCS) in soils and crop protection research in agricultural production systems and will provide centralised laboratory services and reference centre in the same fields. The Station will serve as the national coordinating centre for the National Crop Protection Research Programme, the National Soil Fertility and Plant Nutrition Programme and the National Soil Survey Programme. The Centre will house the Biometrics Section which will provide services to other research centres. The research activities based at NAL will be rationalized in the following programme: 1. Soil Resources 2. Soil and Land Resources Surveys and Investigations 3. Soil and Agricultural Chemistry 4. Entomology and Pesticides Research 5. Plant Pathology Research 6. Weed Science Research 7. Irrigation and Drainage Research 8. Research Support Services i.e. Centralised Laboratory Services and Biometrics.