Biometrics at the Kenya Agricultural Research Institute

D.K. Wamae

Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI), P.O. Box 14733, Nairobi, Kenya
E-mail: soil@arcc.or.ke

Introduction

The Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI) comprises 25 research centres and about 15 subcentres across the country. There are 464 research scientists within KARI who require biometric support from 12 biometricians. Thus, the scientist/biometrician ratio is approximately 39:1. Whilst this ratio is better than in other countries in the region represented at this workshop (see, for example, papers by Chirembo; Das; Nabasirye) biometricians are still hardpressed to meet the needs of scientists.

In order to give efficient service to the institute, the research centres are grouped into five regions: Eastern, Coast, Western, Rift Valley and Nairobi. Each region is headed by a team leader who is responsible for all the biometric requirements in the region. This arrangement has helped scientists to appreciate better the importance of biometric input in their research activities and the biometricians are beginning to become more involved at different stages of research. Most research is either on farm, on station or in the form of surveys. Nine of the biometricians have Msc and three BSc qualifications.

Biometrics software and training

Most research centres have computers which contain current, licensed versions of SAS, Genstat and SPSS. These were acquired by KARI through funding from the Department for International Development (DFID), UK from 1996 to 1999. Mstat also exists but its use is limited and not encouraged. Through the support of DFID all biometricians have their own computer or at least have access to a computer in their research centre.

Some short in-house courses in biometrics have been run by KARI biometricians at most of the research centres over the past two years. These have covered such topics as experimental design, data analysis for on-farm research, computer operation, use of statistical packages, e.g. SAS, Genstat and SPSS, data collection methods, record keeping and data management. This has been particularly useful to research scientists without a resident biomerician who are now able to manage their work a little better.

Requirements

• Despite the efforts that have been made over the past two years, professional development courses are still needed to help the biometricians provide more effective support to their clients. These could include short management courses, short technical courses and research attachment fellowships.
• It is also necessary to train the three BSc qualified biometricians to MSc level, not only because such training will improve their capabilities as consultant biometricians but also because it will give them more standing with their clients. Staff with only a BSc qualification are assumed by scientists to be capable only of performing routine data analysis.
• Whilst all biometricians have benefited from the recent support given to them by the University of Reading during the DFID-funded programme, they still need more experience and guidance in data management and in biometric techniques appropriate to on-farm research. This training in the statistical methodology required for adaptive, on-farm research is also needed by scientists. This is an area in which many scientists are seeking advice.
• Finally, training in the disciplines in which the biometricians mainly operate, e.g. animal, crop and natural resources research, could improve the contributions that biometricians can make, particularly if some were able to specialise in given fields.