Department of Agricultural Research and Technical Services (DARTS)

• Development of high yielding and early maturing crop varieties that are tolerant to drought, pests and diseases and the evaluation of animal breeds suitable for various production systems,

• Development of integrated pest management strategies for crops and, disease and parasite control measures for livestock,

• Development of appropriate technologies that support agriculture, and natural resource diversification,

• Development of feed and evaluation of feeding technologies for increased livestock production,

• Development of improved soil fertility techniques, appropriate land husbandry and improved soil and water conservation practices,

• Development of agroforestry technologies that address low soil fertility, feed shortage rapid deforestation and land degradation and

• Development of appropriate farm machinery, irrigation, storage, processing and post harvest technologies.

Research is conducted both on-station and on-farm throughout the country. There is a major requirement that field research has to be conducted for at least three seasons before technologies can be accepted for release by the Agricultural Technologies Clearing Committee (ATCC).