The agricultural sector contributed approximately 22.4%and 21.2% directly to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2021 and 2022, respectively. The sector further contributed 27% indirectly through linkages with agro-based and associated industries, thus making it a major driver of Kenya’s economy and hence livelihoods for the majority of Kenyans. This success is partly attributable to research and development initiatives undertaken over the years. To enhance the role of agriculture in the economy, the KALR Act No. 17 of 2013 established the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization

(KALRO) to streamline the operations of the National Agricultural Research System (NARS) policy and effectively contribute to the growth of the sector.

Development of the second KALRO Strategic Plan (2023/24-2027/28) builds on the first Strategic Plan (2017-2022), which described the vision, mission, goal, key results areas, strategic objectives and strategies intended to guide KALRO in delivering its mandate. KALRO’s mandate is to contribute to the growth of the agricultural sector by generating and disseminating appropriate technologies and innovations for increased productivity and quality of diverse products, processes and services.

The current strategic plan builds on the reviewed and updated efforts of the previous plan to realign KALRO’s research in crops, livestock, genetic resources, plant and animal health, environment and natural resource management, agricultural mechanization and socio-economics. This plan identifies the application of cutting-edge research techniques such as biotechnology tools and participatory research to catalyse KALRO’s contribution to the growth of the agricultural sector, as guided by the Kenya Vision 2030, the Fourth Medium Term Plan (MTP IV), and Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA) through the application of Science, Technology and Innovation (STI). There are six core values identified in this plan, which together with the Kenya Constitution 2010 and the aspirations of agricultural-based national, regional and international policies will buttress the success of the implementation of the strategic plan.

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