A major challenge facing farming in developing countries has been the need to raise farm incomes through increased agricultural productivity. Through the Agricultural Sector Development Strategy (ASDS), Kenya plans to increase productivity through investment in intensive use of already existing technologies such as fertilizers and seed. These technologies have great potential to increase on-farm productivity and enhance food security. The use of fertilizer and improved seed in Kenya remains very low indicating existence of a vast crop yield potential that can be exploited through promotion of increased use of these inputs. Promotion of these technologies will require identifying underlying constraints to their use and opportunities to promote use by farmers.
Some of the researches carried out by the institute include:

• Trends in fertilizer use and agricultural productivity
• Growth in fertilizer consumption
• Seed studies
• Input intensification and off- farm work
• Increase in agricultural competitiveness at the farm level
• Determinants of agricultural productivity

The Institute will continue to carry out research on input use and intensification while incorporating integrated soil fertility management to ensure efficient resource management and utilization for increased land productivity.