KENYA AGRICULTURAL AND LIVESTOCK RESEARCH ORGANIZATION

FOOD CROPS RESEARCH INSTITUTEKITALE CENTRE

INDUSTRIAL ATTACHMENT REPORT

FOR DIPLOMA IN APPLIED BIOLOGY MODULE I

NAME: FAITH METTA

REGISTRATION NUMBER: 14552
FACULTY: MEDICINE AND APPLIED SCIENCES
PRESENTED TO: THE SIGALAGALA NATIONAL POLYTECHNIC.
DEPARTMENT: APPLIED BIOLOGY
COURSE CODE: 2914
COURSE TITLE: INDUSTRIAL ATTACHMENT
DURATION: THREE MONTHS
DATE OF SUBMISSION:
STUDENT SIGNATURE
SUPERVISIOR’S NAME:
SUPERVISIOR’S SIGN:
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DECLARATION

I declare that this industrial attachment report is authentic, honest and original to the best of
my knowledge and complete coverage of what I did during my attachment exercise in
KALRO-KITALE, and has not been presented anywhere for a degree or any other award in
any college. Faith Metta

Signature ………………… Date…………………………………………

DECLARATION BY THE SUPERVISORS This report has been submitted with my

approval as:
Organization based supervisor
NAME: …………………………………………… SIGNATURE: ………………………….

DATE: ………………………………………………………………………..

This attachment report has been submitted to the faculty of Science department of APPLIED
BIOLOGY, Sigalagala National Polytechnic for examination purposes with approval of:

Signature ………………………………. Date ………………

Institution based supervisor

NAME: ……………………………………………………………………………

SIGNATURE: ……………………………………………………………………..

DATE: ……………………………………………………………………………….
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DEDICATION
To my parent, friends for their love, encouragement, prayers and unending support during the
attachment period. I would also like to dedicate the work to all the KALRO-KITALE staffs
for their massive support to ensure that everything was well understood and followed to the
latter, God bless you all.
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
My utmost gratitude is directed to the Almighty GOD for strengthening me throughout my
industrial attachment period. I wish to express my indebted gratitude and special thanks to the
whole KALRO-KITALE team for their unwavering support and guidance throughout my
academic-related learning period at their organization. Special mention goes to Mr. Juma, my
incomparable academic supervisor (Sigalagala polytechnic ),and Industrial supervisor who in
spite of being extraordinarily busy with their duties, took time to hear, guide and keep me on
the correct path during my industrial attachment.
I would like to also take this opportunity to thank the local students attached in the
organization during the period who hastened my adaption to the various departments they
were attached. Lastly, I would like to acknowledge my parents, thanks goes to them for their
assistance and encouragement throughout the period, their motivational support, financial
support and nurturing role was and will always be greatly valuable to my academics.
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ABSTRACT
Industrial training is an important phase of a student life in academic development route. A
well planned, properly executed and evaluated industrial training helps a lot in developing a
professional attitude. It develop an awareness of industrial approach to problem solving,
based on a broad understanding of process and mode of operation of organization. The aim
and motivation of this industrial training is to receive discipline, skills, teamwork and
technical knowledge through a proper training environment, which will help me, as a student in the
field of statistics, to develop a responsiveness of the self-disciplinary nature of problems in Applied
biology During a period of three months training at KALRO, Throughout this industrial
training, I have been learning new biological packages and ideas that are required for process
of data analysis and interpretation, was able to implement what I have learnt for the one year
as a Module II Diploma student at the Sigalagala National polytechnic.

LIST OF SYMBOLS AND ABBREVIATIONS

KALRO: Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization.
FCRI: Food Crop Research Institution
KARI: Kenya Agricultural Research Institute.

Table of Contents
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DECLARATION.........................................................................................................................................................i
DEDICATION.......................................................................................................................................................... ii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT...........................................................................................................................................iii
ABSTRACT.............................................................................................................................................................iv
LIST OF SYMBOLS AND ABBREVIATIONS...............................................................................................................iv
CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION..............................................................................................................................6
1.1 HISTORICAL BACKGROUND INFORMATION OF THE CENTRE.......................................................................6
1.2 Location.......................................................................................................................................................6
1.3. Vision......................................................................................................................................................... 6
1.4 Mission........................................................................................................................................................6
1.5. KALRO Institute Programmes objectives....................................................................................................6
1.6 QUALITY...................................................................................................................................................... 7
1.7 STRATEGIC GOALS.......................................................................................................................................7
1.8. ORGANOGRAM...........................................................................................................................................8
CHAPTER TWO ATTACHMENT DEPARTMENT........................................................................................................9
2.1 VALUES OF THE DEPARTMENT....................................................................................................................9
2.2 KEY FUNCTIONS /ACTIVITIES OF THE DEPARTMENT...................................................................................9
2.3 STAFF ESTABLISHMENT IN THE DEPARTMENT............................................................................................9
2.4 OBJECTIVES OF THE INDUSTRIAL ATTACHMENT.......................................................................................10
2.5 MY ASSIGNED ROUTINE DUTIES AND PARTICIPATION FORUMS...............................................................10
2.5.1. DATA COLLECTION............................................................................................................................10
2.5.2. DATA ANALYSIS.................................................................................................................................10
CHAPTER THREE: MY RESEARCH WORK WHILE AT KALRO..................................................................................11
Project topic: ANALYTICAL TECHNIQUES FOR SOIL TESTING...........................................................................11
Materials required..........................................................................................................................................11
Points to be considered..................................................................................................................................11
Procedure for soil sampling.............................................................................................................................11
Processing and storage...................................................................................................................................11
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................................12
Recommendation............................................................................................................................................12
CHAPTER FOUR: EVALUATION OF THE ATTACHMENT.........................................................................................13
4.1 SUCCESS....................................................................................................................................................13
4.2 CHALLENGES ENCOUNTERED....................................................................................................................13
4.3 HOW I SOLVED THE CHALLENGES..............................................................................................................13
CHAPTER FIVE: CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS...................................................................................14
5.1 CONCLUSION.............................................................................................................................................14
5.2 RECCOMENDATIONS.................................................................................................................................14
Presented at The Sigalala National Polytechnic Department of Applied Biology
CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION
1.1 HISTORICAL BACKGROUND INFORMATION OF THE CENTRE
The center started as an experimental station in Sotik for livestock and crop husbandry, in
1963 moved to Kisii as an experimental site with a mandate to conduct general agricultural
research in south Nyanza and Kisii district. Later in 1968 it became Nyanza Agricultural
Research Station. In 1979 the Nyanza Agricultural Research Station board of management
changed its name to Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI). The Government of
Kenya (GOK) in July 1, 2014 operationalized the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research
Organization (KALRO) Act and merged four research institutions to create the Kenya
Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO). The merged institutions are,
1. Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI);
2. Kenya Tea Research Foundation (KTRF);
3. Coffee Research Foundation (CRF); and
4. Kenya Sugar Research Foundation (KSRF).
KALRO was to operate as a network of semi-autonomous research institutes, each with a
specific research mandate.
The mandate to develop and promote staple foodcrops technologies in 47 counties of Kenya.
To undertake this task seven FCRI centresare responsible that is KALRO ECRI Kitale,
KALRO FCRI Njoro, KALRO FCRI Embu,KALRO FCRI Alupe, KALRO FCRI Kisii,
KALRO FCRI Muguga, KALRO FCRIKabete
1.2 Location
KALRO Food Crops Research Institute headquarters is located in Kitale ((1° 0' N, 35° 7' E)
in Trans Nzoia County about 70 km from Eldoret town three kilometers from Kitale town
towards Kitale-Webuye road. It can also be accessed through Kitale-Kisawai road. Kitale is
an agricultural town is situated between Mount Elgon and Cherangani hills at an elevation of
1,900 m (6,200 ft) above sea level with mean temperature of 24°C and an average annual
rainfall of 1300 mm.

1.3. Vision
To be a global competitive agricultural Institute in Food Crops Research

1.4 Mission
To contribute to generation and dissemination Food Crops knowledge, innovative
technologies and services that respond to clientele demands, for sustainable livelihoods

1.5. KALRO Institute Programmes objectives

the activities of the institute are guided by the following objectives

 To develop, disseminate and promote cereal crops (maize, wheat, sorghum millets and
grain amaranth) varieties, their seed production and attendant integrated crop
management packages suitable all ecozones of Kenya.
 To develop, disseminate and promote root and tuber crop (sweet potato, cassava, potato,
yam, arrow root) varieties, their seed conservation and attendant integrated crop
management packages suitable all ecozones of Kenya.

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Presented at The Sigalala National Polytechnic Department of Applied Biology
 To develop, disseminate and promote legume grain crops (beans, peas, soyabean)
varieties and attendant integrated crop management packages suitable all ecozones of
Kenya.
 To develop, validate, disseminate and catalyze the adoption of postharvest and food
nutrition technologies suitable for enhancing the health of households of various
ecozones.
 To develop, validate, disseminate and catalyze the adoption of sustainable Natural
resource management technologies (carbon credits, minimum and zero tillage, rotational
agriculture, soil and water management, suitability mapping) in the different ecozones of
Kenya.
 To develop, validate, disseminate and catalyze the adoption of improved crop protection
technologies responding to dynamic surges of invasive and emergent insect (millipede
epidemics, army worms, locusts), disease (MLN, wheat stem rust), birds (queleaquelea)
and weed ( pests vibrantly, innovatively through monitoring and surveillance and
affective and action based approaches.
 To link biophysical research to stakeholders for socio-economic understanding of farming
systems, prioritization of constraints and documentation of impacts.
 To catalyse, disseminate and promote FCRI developed technologies in partnership with
stakeholders

The value chains and cross cutting research programs addressed include:

 Cereal crops (Maize, Wheat, Rice, Barley, Sorghum, Millets)

 Root & Tuber (Sweet potato, Cassava, Yams, arrow roots)
 Legume crops (Beans, Grams, Pigeon peas)
 Natural resources management (Soil fertility and climate change)
 Crop protection (Pathology and Entomology)
 Food science
 Socio-economics
 Technology transfer
 Analytical Soil Laboratory services
 Analytical Pathology Services
 Analytical Insect identification
 Analytical mycotoxin assessment

1.6 QUALITY
Ensure that they considerately deliver products and services that certify the requirements of
their internal and external customers, Adopt quality as their integral part of their operation.
Continuously, improve the quality of the products as a collective responsibility, Empower
employees to embrace quality as a collective responsibility, Provide the environment and
maintain good cooperative and social responsibility, Comply with situatory and regulatory
requirements and Ensure that our goals and objectives are geared towards compliance with
quality management system

1.7 STRATEGIC GOALS

Integrated livestock value chains fostering commercialization of agricultural enterprise,
Sustainable and integrated management of natural resources for agricultural production,
Institutional arrangements for enhancing concerted action for development and uptake of
technologies and innovations, Capacity and competence building for integrated agricultural
research for development

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Presented at The Sigalala National Polytechnic Department of Applied Biology

1.8. ORGANOGRAM

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Presented at The Sigalala National Polytechnic Department of Applied Biology
CHAPTER TWO ATTACHMENT DEPARTMENT
I was attached in the statistics department. This is a department that deals with data
collection, analysis and interpretation. This department is linked with all other departments
within the Centre. Some of these departments are:

2.1 VALUES OF THE DEPARTMENT

 Integrated and holistic approach
 Impact, performance and service orientation
 Scientific excellence, creativity and flexibility
 Effective knowledge and information management
 Transparency, accountability and cost- effectiveness
 Research.
 Teaching.
 Monitoring and evaluation.

2.2 KEY FUNCTIONS /ACTIVITIES OF THE DEPARTMENT

1. Management and coordination of all research programmes of the Research Methods

unit
2. Developing and managing databases at the centre.
3. Provide advisory services to scientists on appropriate statistical procedures for designs
and statistical data analysis for surveys and research experiments, and interpretation
of statistical analysis outputs.
4. Ensure that reports that may be required from the centre have got valid statistical
input.
5. Build the capacity of scientists and computer operators in database development and
management, principles of statistical analysis and statistical analysis packages.
6. Provide advisory services on suitable sampling methods, data collection, suitable
statistical analysis packages and data analysis tools.
7. Ensuring that the Applied Statistics projects and activities are run in a manner to
contribute to and fulfil KALRO-Kitale Research Centre mandate.
8. Mentoring sectional staff to produce quality work and be good performers.
9. Co-ordination and guidance to scientists in the section in the preparation of quality
and comprehensive quarterly and annual scientific reports.

2.3 STAFF ESTABLISHMENT IN THE DEPARTMENT

Applied statistics department has one office headed by one staff member. With 2 computer
operators.

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Presented at The Sigalala National Polytechnic Department of Applied Biology
2.4 OBJECTIVES OF THE INDUSTRIAL ATTACHMENT
a) Acquire practical experience in a work place setting.
b) To provide an opportunity for students to discover, learn about, and familiarize with industry of their
discipline, and with organizations within the industry. Students will acquire interpersonal
skills through meeting with professionals in their field of study.
c) To provide an opportunity for students to observe real-life practices and implementation
of theoretical lessons and principles. Students will acquire practical skills and experience
working on projects and alongside industry experts.
d) To provide the opportunity for the industry to identify potential employees from among the industrial
trainees and to feedback comments on the programme. Students will benefit from
coursework tailored to meet training expectations of the industry.
e) To ensure coursework and training programmes satisfy the expectations of the industry,
and ensure the programmes are relevant and up to date.
f) Overall, I gained experience in the following:
i. Organizational skills and professional awareness.
ii. Ability to work under supervision and directions.
iii. Efficiently completing tasks, fostering good relationship with seniors and subordinates.
iv. Communication skills and contribution to company.

2.5 MY ASSIGNED ROUTINE DUTIES AND PARTICIPATION FORUMS.

2.5.1. DATA COLLECTION
In KALRO data is obtain from various departments, it is collected in each department.As
attaches I was given an opportunity to collect data from finger millet, data is collected and
stored in excel format.

2.5.2. DATA ANALYSIS

KALRO applies design of experiments in most of its research work. In finger millet Latin
square is applied.
Analysis is done in SPSS EXCEL and SAS.

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Presented at The Sigalala National Polytechnic Department of Applied Biology
CHAPTER THREE: MY RESEARCH WORK WHILE AT KALRO
Project topic: ANALYTICAL TECHNIQUES FOR SOIL TESTING

Soil sampling, processing and storage

Soil sampling
Principle

Soil testing is an essential component of soil resource management. Each sample collected
must be a true representative of the area being sampled. Utility of the results obtained from
the laboratory analysis depends on the sampling precision. Hence, collection of large number
of samples is advisable so that sample of desired size can be obtained by sub-sampling. In
general, sampling is done at the rate of one sample for every two hectare area. However, at-
least one sample should be collected for a maximum area of five hectares. For soil survey
work, samples are collected from a soil profile representative to the soil of the surrounding
area.

Materials required
1. Spade or auger
2. Khurpi
3. Core sampler
4. Sampling bags
5. Plastic tray or bucket

Points to be considered

1. I was able to collect the soil sample during fallow period.

2. I was able to Sample at several locations in a zig-zag pattern so as to ensure homogeneity.
3. I grouped the fields, which are similar in appearance, production and past-management
practices into a single sampling unit.
4. I collected separate samples from fields that differ in colour, slope, drainage, past
management practices like liming, gypsum application, fertilization, cropping system etc.
5. I avoided sampling in dead furrows, wet spots, areas near main bund, trees, manure heaps
and irrigation channels.
6. Since sorghum is a shallow rooted crops, I collected samples up to 15 cm depth.
7. I collected the soil sample in presence of the farm owner who knows the farm better

Procedure for soil sampling

1. I divided the field into different homogenous units based on the visual observation
and farmer’s experience.
2. I removed the surface litter at the sampling spot.
3. I drove the auger to a plough depth of 15 cm and draw the soil sample.
4. I collected 10 samples from each sampling unit and place in a buck

Processing and storage

1. Assign the sample number and enter it in the laboratory soil sample register.
2. Dry the sample collected from the field in shade by spreading on a clean sheet of
paper after breaking the large lumps, if present.
3. Spread the soil on a paper or polythene sheet on a hard surface and powder the sample
by breaking the clods to its ultimate soil particle using a wooden mallet.
4. Sieve the soil material through 2 mm sieve.
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Presented at The Sigalala National Polytechnic Department of Applied Biology
5. Repeat powdering and sieving until only materials of >2 mm (no soil or clod) are left
on the sieve.
6. Collect the material passing through the sieve and store in a clean glass or plastic
container or polythene bag with proper labeling for laboratory analysis.
7. For the determination of organic matter it is desirable to grind a representative sub
sample and sieve it through 0.2 mm sieve.
8. If the samples are meant for the analysis of micronutrients at-most care is needed in
handling the sample to avoid contamination of iron, zinc and copper. Brass sieves
should be avoided and it is better to use stainless steel or polythene materials for
collection, processing and storage of samples.
9. Air-drying of soils must be avoided if the samples are to be analyzed for NO3-N and
NH4-N as well as for bacterial count.
10. Field moisture content must be estimated in un-dried sample or to be preserved in a
sealed polythene bag immediately after collection.
11. Estimate the moisture content of sample before every analysis to express the results
on dry weight basis.

Conclusion
After doing this preliminary test of the soil sampling, I realized the farm had shallow soil
layer with least organic matter and lower levels of soil moisture.
This meant the soil water retention capability is quit lower and therefore the soil could only
accommodate the plants with shallow rooted and drought tolerant crops.
I therefore found it important to advice the farmer to grow sorghum or millet which is a
shallow rooted crop and drought tolerant. With this, I was confident the farmer could harvest
a lot.

Recommendation
It is important to advice farmers to do soil analytics before deciding on which crop to grow.
This is important since different crops requires different soil properties to nourish well. Those
that are deep rooted will require deep soils and those that are shallow rooted will require
shallow soils with lower water retention capability.

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CHAPTER FOUR: EVALUATION OF THE ATTACHMENT

4.1 SUCCESS
My attachment was a success, I was provided an opportunity to discover, learn about, and
familiarize with the Organizational skills and professional awareness. I acquire interpersonal
skills through meeting with professionals in the field of study.

4.2 CHALLENGES ENCOUNTERED

a) Inadequate reading and reference materials on statistics.
b) Completion with other students interns.
c) Inadequate office equipment and machines.
d) Insufficient orientation.
e) A new lifestyle.
f) Inadequate data from the inventories

4.3 HOW I SOLVEDTHE CHALLENGES

Every challenge has a solution
1. With the high technology, online sources were useful.
2. Stay friendly, be open-minded, drama-free, and easy to work with.
3. Schedule socializing and adventurous activities.
4. Structured interviews with the staff members.

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CHAPTER FIVE: CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

5.1 CONCLUSION
Applied biology is widely used in agriculture organization for instance in KALRO,

5.2 RECCOMENDATIONS
More books and reference materials of statistics should be added in the organizations library.
This will increase leaning for intern.

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