CIMMYT, KALRO launch US$1M wheat research facility to boost Kenya’s wheat production
The facility is set to significantly improve disease resistance, accelerate wheat breeding, and enhance yields, as the country seeks to reduce its 80% dependency on wheat imports.
KENYA – The Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO), in collaboration with the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), has inaugurated a Ksh 1.3 billion (US$1 million) wheat rust research facility in Njoro, Nakuru County, aimed at revolutionizing wheat production in Kenya.
The facility is set to significantly improve disease resistance, accelerate wheat breeding, and enhance yields, as the country seeks to reduce its 80% dependency on wheat imports.
The facility, which will be equipped with cutting-edge screening infrastructure and a cold room for seed storage and multiplication, will enable researchers to test and release disease-resistant wheat varieties.
“What we are doing is to accelerate and improve the capacity of CIMMYT and KALRO collaboration around wheat. This facility will help us deliver seeds that are resistant to the latest diseases,” said Dr. Bram Hovartz CIMMYT Director General.
KALRO Deputy Director for Crops, Dr. Felister Makini, applauded the infrastructure and scientific collaboration, underscoring the urgency of addressing wheat shortages.
“Kenya imports nearly 80% of its wheat needs. With these facilities, we are building capacity to not only screen for diseases but also develop and distribute new, more productive and resilient wheat varieties,” she noted.
Dr. Makini also urged farmers to adopt certified seeds and discontinue recycling old ones, which contributes to increased disease pressure and reduced yields.
According to Dr. Sridhar Bhavani, CIMMYT’s Wheat Improvement Lead for East Africa, over the past decade, CIMMYT has screened over 700,000 wheat accessions globally and developed more than 250 wheat varieties.
“Our current varieties can yield between 6 to 8 tonnes per hectare—almost double the output from older strains,” he said.
The Njoro facility will also act as a breeding hub under the Wheat Improvement Network for Africa, benefiting over 16 countries by supplying high-yielding, climate-resilient varieties.
Importantly, KALRO has established a “Mkulima Shop” to ensure farmers have direct access to certified seeds.
Dr. Makini also addressed concerns about genetically modified organisms, clarifying that the facility’s breeding is conventional and not GMO-based.
“The diseases we are combating are not due to GMOs but traditional breeding methods. This facility helps us stay ahead of these threats,” she affirmed.
The facility marks a significant stride in Kenya’s efforts to achieve wheat self-sufficiency and support smallholder farmers through scientific innovation, disease management, and capacity-building in the face of climate change and soil degradation.
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