Proceedings of the Scientific Conference held at the National Veterinary Research Centre, Muguga, 6th - 8th December, 1995

Abstract

Since KARI begun this annual event in 1992, there has been tremendous improvement on what is being presented. The purpose is to tell on how scientists spent 12 months at the Centre as a Scientist. This year, the scientific conference included Scientists from Animal Production, CRISP and from Kenya Trypanosomiasis Research Institute. This is an indication that the Conference is becoming an established annual activity at this Centre In future we shall invite more institutes to participate. For research results to be of any use, they must be communicated to the end user - extension service and farmers. As a result of our training each individual at this Centre is becoming a specialist. This is very important for the development of each individual scientist. However, the Centre, through its training programme does not wish to produce a class of specialists or experts who work in isolation We are all working for farmers who have expertise and certain traditional approaches. This calls for collaboration with farmers (on-farm-research) and other scientists at the Centre and elsewhere so that at the end of day the Centre can produce an integrated package that the farmers can use to improve on what they know. Our research is not about problems but to generate technologies solve farmers problems. The Conference is organized around a number of themes There are 27 papers to be given ranging from epidemiology and socio-economics, animal production, tick-borne diseases, trypanosomiasis, helminthiasis and virology and rapporteurs have been appointed to summarize the status of knowledge and anticipated discussions in each area. They should summarize the gist of presentations and note significant points arising in discussions and particularly any gaps in knowledge or recommendation for further work.