Kenya Agricultural Research Institute- KABETE Annual Report

Abstract

The National Agricultural Research Laboratories (NARL), formally known as Scott Agricultural Laboratories, was started in 1903 as the first agricultural experimental station in Kenya. In those early years of the centre, several crops such as wheat, coffee, pyrethrum, tobacco and sisal were tested in the centre before establishment of research stations in more suitable areas. The station receives an annual rainfall of 970 mm, occupies approximately 25 hectares and lies at 1,740 m above sea-level. With time, the experimental station directed its activities at analysis of soil, plant tissues, water, fertilizer, crop protection research and associated services of plant inspection, pesticide analysis and plant clinic, soil surveys, irrigation and drainage in post independent period.