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About This Publication

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This publication reports how Kenyans have benefited from the National Agricultural Research Project (NARP) at the Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI). Started in 1987, NARP is a cooperative undertaking of KARI and several international donors who have sponsored separate but coordinated activities to reach the project’s goals.

This report will focus on those parts of the project supported by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), which supported NARP in three ways: strengthening of KARI’s research management including development of a socio-economics unit; commodity research in maize, sorghum/millet, horticulture and small ruminants; and assisting with the design and implementation of an Agricultural Research Fund.

Implementation of the USAID NARP was primarily through a host country contract between KARI and MIAC with the University of Missouri as lead institution.

Major purpose of this publication is to show how

• The lives of Kenyans have been improved because of NARP’s influence on KARI research and training.
• NARP provided key technical and commodity aid to KARI as the young research institution developed in its formative years.
• KARI now has great potential to provide a continuing stream of essential technological help to Kenyan agriculture – and serve as a premier agricultural research institution for all of Eastern Africa.
• The support of USAID, through NARP, played a key role in the development and operation of KARI.

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Definition of Abbreviations

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NARP: National Agricultural Research Project. A long-term project to increase the scientific capabilities of the Kenya Agricultural Research Institute, the country’s primary agricultural research organization. NARP is funded by the Kenyan government and international donors, including USAID.

KARI: Kenya Agricultural Research Institute. Conducts agricultural research at scientific laboratories, research centers, and demonstration farms throughout Kenya.

USAID: United States Agency for International Development. For its part in NARP, USAID chose initially to support work to (a) strengthen KARI’s planning and management, (b) develop human resources through training, (c) improve research on maize and sorghum, and (d) encourage innovative research by establishing the Agricultural Research Fund. Emphasis has recently been added on developing horticultural crops (vegetables, fruits, flowers), and small ruminants.

MIAC: MidAmerica International Agricultural Consortium. Includes five Midwestern U.S. universities: University of Missouri, Iowa State University, Kansas State University, University of Nebraska, and Oklahoma State University. KARI contracted with MIAC to provide technical assistance to the NARP program.