The Agricultural Mechanization Research Institute (AMRI) is one of the 16 research institutes managed by the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO). It was established in November 2015. The basic function of AMRI is to generate and disseminate agricultural mechanization technologies and innovations across the livestock and crops value chains in Kenya.
Despite the importance of agriculture in Kenya, there are generally low levels of mechanization. In Kenya 50% of land preparation depends on human power, 20% on animal draught power and 30% on machines. This has been associated with low productivity and high cost of production which inevitably leads to low profitability in major agricultural enterprises.