Background Information

The manadate of the Department of Agricultural Research is to generate improved crop and livestock production technologies through research to promote a productive and sustainable agricultural sector. In designing programmes to carry out its mandate the Department has taken cognisance of the agricultural policy objectives of food security, diversification, sustainable resource utilization and economic viability.

Research thrusts are in the areas of crop and livestock improvement, sustainable utilization of range resources, soil and water management, optimising utilization of locally available animal feed resources, crop pests and disease management and pasture and forage crop improvement. In addition the following services are provided by the Department to support both the sector and the research programs: seed production, soil, plant and feed analysis, herbarium, plant genetic resources, biometric and computing, and library and documentation services.