Major Research Programmes 1991

Abstract

Agriculture is the mainstay of Kenya's economy. It provides the basis for development of other sectors of the economy. Priority ranking in the sector centres on food production, generation of raw-materials for local industries and processing of production for export. The overall thrust of our agricultural policy is first to achieve self-sufficiency; second, to maintain adequate levels of strategic reserves, and third, to generate additional supplies for export. The policy thrust also contributes towards the attainment of the national objectives of employment, income generation, foreign-exchange earning, rural-urban balance food security and overall growth. In this context the Government has taken a firm policy decision to rationalize all the agricultural research in the country under the National Agricultural Research Project (NARP) which is executed under the framework of a restructured and strengthened Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI). All centres within the KARI network have thus been assigned specific mandates for rapid generation of science-based technologies and their effective transfer to the Kenyan farmer. In addition, KARI has an in-built mechanism for review and revision of its projects in accordance with the ever-changing agricultural circumstances and development needs.