Research Projects
Explore our portfolio of research initiatives addressing critical agricultural challenges.
CropsOngoing
Drought-Resistant Crop Development
Developing and testing drought-resistant varieties of maize, sorghum, and millet for semi-arid regions of Kenya.
Duration: 2023-2026
Funding: USAID
Key Objectives:
- Develop 3 new drought-tolerant maize varieties
- Conduct multi-location trials across 5 counties
- Train 500 farmers in seed selection and storage
- Establish community seed banks
Impact: Early trials show 40% yield improvement under water stress conditions.
TechnologyOngoing
IoT Soil Health Monitoring System
Developing affordable IoT-based soil monitoring systems providing real-time data on moisture, pH, and nutrients.
Duration: 2024-2026
Funding: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Key Objectives:
- Design low-cost soil sensors (<$50 per unit)
- Create mobile app for farmer access
- Deploy pilot with 200 farmers
- Integrate with SMS alerts for low-tech users
Impact: Pilot farmers report 25% reduction in water usage and 15% yield increase.
LivestockCompleted
Community Livestock Disease Surveillance
Community-based surveillance system for early detection and prevention of livestock diseases in pastoral areas.
Duration: 2021-2024
Funding: FAO
Key Objectives:
- Train 100 community animal health workers
- Establish disease reporting network
- Develop early warning system
- Create treatment protocols
Impact: Disease outbreak response time reduced by 60%. Over 10,000 livestock protected.
SoilOngoing
Climate-Smart Agriculture Practices
Research on conservation agriculture, agroforestry, and carbon sequestration in smallholder farms.
Duration: 2022-2027
Funding: World Bank
Key Objectives:
- Evaluate 10 climate-smart practices
- Measure carbon sequestration rates
- Develop farmer-friendly guidelines
- Scale up through extension services
Impact: Participating farms show 30% improvement in soil organic matter after 2 years.
LivestockOngoing
Local Feed Alternatives for Poultry
Identifying and testing locally available feed alternatives to reduce poultry production costs.
Duration: 2024-2025
Funding: Kenya Agricultural Research Institute
Key Objectives:
- Evaluate 15 local feed ingredients
- Develop 5 balanced feed formulations
- Compare growth rates and egg production
- Calculate cost-benefit for farmers
Impact: Preliminary results show 30% cost reduction with comparable production.
SoilOngoing
Rainwater Harvesting Technologies
Testing and promoting appropriate rainwater harvesting technologies for smallholder farmers.
Duration: 2023-2026
Funding: GIZ
Key Objectives:
- Evaluate 8 rainwater harvesting techniques
- Build 50 demonstration structures
- Train farmers in construction and maintenance
- Develop cost-sharing models
Impact: Farmers with harvesting systems report year-round water availability.
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