KENYA – The Crops Research Facility of the Kiboko Research Station, an essential agricultural research station in Makueni County, Kenya, has undergone a significant upgrade with over US$2.5M in funding from Germany.
The funding was administered in phases by the Crops to End Hunger (CtEH) program.The facility now features world-class infrastructure and equipment, which will accelerate further crop breeding and strengthen food security in East Africa.
The research facility celebrated the commissioning of new facilities on January 21, 2025. The inauguration highlighted the station’s expanded capacity to accelerate crop breeding and enhance food security across East Africa.
Research at the Kiboko Crops Research Facility is a collaborative effort involving the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO), CIMMYT, and other leading research institutes.
“One of the most limiting factors to agricultural production in Kenya is the availability of quality seed. We have the breeders, we have the processing facilities, and we have the outlets through the seed companies. However, ensuring that farmers access high-quality seed remains a significant challenge. Without the right facilities, scientists cannot deliver the quality work required.” Dr. Eliud Kireger, Director General of KALRO said.
According to Prasanna i, CIMMYT Regional Director for Asia, Kiboko is one of the largest public sector crop breeding facilities in the world, with 200 hectares dedicated to it.
Boddupalli also added that these new facilities will enable CIMMYT and KALRO breeders to optimize their breeding and seed systems’ work, providing better varieties to farming communities.This collaboration has yielded the release of groundbreaking maize hybrids.
The station’s advanced screening capabilities for fall armyworm have led to the release of three tolerant maize hybrids, benefiting farmers in Kenya, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, South Sudan, and Ghana.
CIMMYT Africa Regional Director Moses Siambi emphasized Kiboko’s far-reaching contributions: “The products developed here are benefiting not just Kenya but other countries across Africa and beyond.”
Established in the 1980s, the Crops Research Facility had begun to show its age. With the funding from the CtEH program and the engineering and technical support of Breeding Resources, which supported the renovation work, Kiboko is set to be revitalized.
Some key improvements include advanced seed processing and storage, drip irrigation and sustainable water utilities, cold storage units, haploid/diploid sorter, mechanization and data capture and management.
Crop breeding data management is now streamlined through the Enterprise Breeding System, developed by Breeding Resources, with its deployment at Kiboko also funded by CtEH.
The upgrade included enhanced occupational health and safety measures, modern office and conference facilities, and gender-inclusive management practices.
Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and continuous improvement activities supported by Breeding Resources have further enhanced operational efficiency.
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