KWRC DEPARTMENTS
The center has undergone tremendous transformation and specializes on a wide range of departments namely:
Research and Development
The research and development is further sub-categorized into:
Food Technology division (FTD ) carries out various research projects in traditional foods and fruit processing through value addition thus reducing post harvest losses. The foods include: sorghum, finger millet, cassava and sweet potatoes which are plenty in western Region. Processed fruits such as pineapple, banana, pawpaw and many other yield products like jams, juices, wine and nectar.
The KWRC laboratory service center (LSC) provides analytical testing and quality control services as per the ISO/IEC rules and guidelines i.e. the International Organisation for Standard and International Electro-technical commission for standardization. This International standard specifies the general requirement for the competence to carry out lab tests and calibrations, including sampling. The laboratory has acquired state of the art equipment to carry out analysis and testing services to industries, institutions and to be able to provide capacity building to SME’s.
Some of the analytical procedures include: conductivity, Turbidity, Total dissolved, Total dissolved solids(TDS), PH,Brix, Moisture content.
The energy situation in Kenya like most countries is continuously worsening due to escalating oil prices. Above all, emissions from the use of non-renewable fossil fuels such as oil, gas and coal present a frightening environmental scenario. The answer to this crisis is increased use of renewable energy sources. KIRDI and UNIDO (Kenya) have been promoting renewable energy, in line with vision 2030 for sustainable development in Kenya. KWRC has coordinated the establishment of two biogas pilot plants in Homabay and Bungoma through the energy division.
Technology transfer and services department
This department is involved in consultancy and capacity building on:
The fish leather pilot plant was started in 2008 to process Nile perch skins into wet blue before finishing is done at Leather Development Centre (LDC) Nairobi. The project was donor funded by DANIDA as part of the Business Sector Programme Support (BSPS).The overall objective is to enhance the growth and competitiveness of the private sector, especially, the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) through commercialization of fish leather technologies in Kenya. The fish leather technology is envisaged to be adopted by prospective entrepreneurs at different stages that is: wet blue, crust and finished fish leather processing. The department is committed to the commercialization of fish leather which is designed to support and enhance the overall strategy for poverty reduction as described in “The Economic Recovery Strategy for Wealth and Employment Creation”(ERS)
Mushroom cultivation project at KWRC was started at KIE sheds in January 2009.The objective of the project was to grow oyster mushroom (pleurotus ostreatus) with the intention of :
Training farmers on oyster mushroom agronomy by utilizing locally available materials (substrate) e.g. baggase, water hyacinth, rice straws, as well as saw dust.
Increased value addition on mushroom.
Marketing of the value added products.
This project will significantly play a very vital economic role to urban and peri-urban growers since it is a source of self-employment as well as food for consumption. This will improve their living standards through direct sales thus increased income levels and reduced cost cutting expenditure on food respectfully.
The marketing section fosters to ensure increased marketing activities including market surveys to determine the supply and demand needs in the region for efficient delivery of its products and services to its customers. This is aimed at guaranteeing increased volume of business leading to financial self sustainability.
Finance and administration department
Services offered
- Administrative services
- Human Resource Management
- Financial
KWRC ICT Section
KIRDI is working towards the realization of vision 2030 through building capacity in the ICT sector. The Department of ICT in KIRDI western region is an established state of art center for purposes of attaining this goal.
Services provided
- Capacity building to the staff at KWRC
- Creation and maintenance of center databases
- Creation and maintenance of inventory and infrastructure in ICT
- Service and maintenance of ICT equipment within KWRC
- Provision of professional advice on ICT matters to the staff
- Performing Information searches on databases and internet.
- Scanning and printing services
- Desktop publishing
- Software installation.
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