The new institute took over agriculture, forestry and veterinary research facilities and programmes that were operating under the ministries of Agriculture and Livestock Development.
Separate foundations are responsible for research on coffee and tea.
Although some agricultural research is done at the national universities, NGOs and in the Private Sector, KARI remains the principal national institution responsible for research and technology generation on crops, livestock, soil and water management, and socio-economics. KARI s research mandate is therefore quite broad, calling for frequent evaluation of research priorities and rationalisation of programmes to match the human, physical and financial resources available to the institute and respond to the changing demand of the clients as well as operational environment. While individual farmers, and other stakeholders such as the Private Sector, NGOs, extension services and other development agencies have contributed to these changes, the most significant improvements have been brought about by technological improvements and the dissemination of these technologies to users through the extension services. Prior to independence the main emphasis in agricultural research and development was on cash crops such as coffee and tea produced on large commercial farms. After independence there was more emphasis on smallholder agriculture resulting in expansion of both research and extension services and increasing diversity of agricultural products as well as dynamics in land productivity.