• Promotion of processing and utilization of traditional and horticultural food crops.
• Providing consultancy and training services including HACCP training to the food industry [with particular emphasis on micro and small-scale enterprises – MSEs.]
• Development, adaptation and/or adoption and dissemination of appropriate food processing technologies.
• Product and process development on pilot scale [at KIRDI] including limited production runs for market research and development of innovative products and processes.
• Commercialization of technologies for processing traditional and horticultural food crops through setting up of pilot plants.

• Application of Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point on in Processing of Coffee.
• Utilization of Rice Straw in Mushroom Production Technology.
• Improvement of Processing and Marketing of Orange-Fleshed Potatoes Products in Western Kenya

...read more

The Environment Management Division is one of the research and development (R&D) departments in KIRDI under the Research and Development Department. The division undertakes environmental research and development and consultancy work for industry, community organizations, research institutions, and government agencies among others in line with country’s Vision 2030. Technologies and innovations developed by the division are transferred through business incubation, development of pilot plants, and provision of common manufacturing facilities.

1. Spatial and temporal bioavailability assessment of Phosphorus (P) in Sondu Miriu River basin.  
2. Development of a post consumer plastic waste washing machine
3. Development of effluent treatment technologies for leather tanning facilities
4. Production of Biogas from the water hyacinth plant
5. Development and Production of Lime Saturate for the liming method in Nzoia Sugar Company
6. Production of activated carbon from bagasse and water hyacinth plant
7. Utilization of activated carbon for waste water treatment.
8. Development of gas stove utilizing agricultural wastes
9. Development of improved stoves for clean development mechanism (CDM) projects
10. Evaluation and Development of Occupation Safety and Health systems in metal fabrication small and micro enterprises (SME’s)
11. Mapping out and calculating carbon footprints

• Product and Process Development: Carry out Research and Development (R & D) on products and processes for the industrial sector.
• Technology Transfer: Identify, adopt and diffuse technologies to the engineering, chemical and allied industries both in terms of acquisition and technology management.
• Training: Training of the small and medium scale entrepreneurs in manufacturing processes.

• Production of Biodiesel Fuel in KIRDI of Pilot Scale.
• Construction and Analysis of Oil from Algae as an Alternative for Biodiesel Production.
• Development and Dissemination of Cotton Gin Technology.
• Development of Cotton Spinning Machine.
• Dissemination of Beekeeping and honey processing technologies

...read more

• Technology Needs Assessment
• Technology Feasibility Studies
• Environmental Impact assessments
• Environmental control
• Energy audit
• Process Safety

• Cleaner Production Process: Basification Free Chrome Tanning.
• Development and Dissemination of Standardized Leather Processing Drum Technology.
• Development of an effluent treatment product from moringa seeds.
• Manufacture of leather filler from low quality wools and waste hair/ wool from leather processing.
• Development of reinforced biodegradable sisal composite packaging material to replace polythene bags.
• Laboratory scale chrome free leather manufacture.
• Extraction of tannins from local tropical plants.

...read more

• Technology Needs Assessment
• Technology Feasibility Studies
• Environmental Impact assessments/audits
• Environmental control
• Energy audit
• Process Safety and improvement
• Kiln design, construction and commissioning

• Utilization of lime sludge baggasse ash from the sugar industries for the manufacture of building materials.
• Development of porous ceramic water filters for enhanced sanitation and hygiene.
• Utilization of brickyard grog for the manufacture of low cost cementecious material.
• Development and dissemination of technology for the production of low cost refractory bricks.

...read more

• Provide and manage ICT infrastructure services network, broad user support, training, high performance computing, mass storage, administrative systems and information services;
• Establish standards and protocols to maintain efficient, secure, reliable ICT services within and outside the Institute;
• Develop and promulgate policies for the efficient purchasing and management of information technologies;
• Liaise with senior management on their ICT needs to provide advice on the potential of ICT to meet those needs;
• Support initiatives to research programmes; Contribute through ICT to the Institute’s out reach efforts.
• To come up with software that are affordable and meets customer needs

• Computer services

The Centre has setup a modern Computer Bureau Unit, complete with a modern high speed Copier, Scanner and Computers for desktop publishing.

• IT Training - ICT Learning Centre

The scheduled courses include:-

• PC Fundamentals & Hardware
• Operating Systems
• Electronic Massaging & Word Processing. Presentation Applications & Spread Sheets

• Support Services

The Division also assists the research fraternity to access electronic information and publishing services. It also supports projects that explore the potential of the information networks to enhance research and outreach of the Institute. Some of the core services in this category include:

• Installation and maintenance of IT infrastructure.
• Development and maintenance of the Institute’s portal.
• Maintenance of LAN and WAN.
• Support to other departments on matters relating to ICT including; data mining, retrieval, storage, manipulation and packaging.

• Research

ICT undertakes research in computer & information related technologies.

• Computer Parts Design, Development and Assembly.
• Mapping of industrial clusters and SMEs: a case study of kariobangi and kamkunji.
• Software development.

• The study of Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) opportunities in edible oil and leather industries.
• Characterization of municipal solid wastes and determination of landfill gas generation potentials.
• Development of Powdered fuel burner – for Agricultural wastes combustion.
• Solar Water heater.
• Study on Mini-Hydro potential in Western Region of Kenya.
• Brick drying and use of energy efficient kilns.
• Development of energy infrastructure – Energy Laboratory for the 21st Century.
• Biodiesel processor development, biogas generation from fish wastes, solar dryers and Fabrication of low cost thermosyphon solar water heater.

• Nutritional value determination of solar panel dried omena compared to open sun dried omena for GTZ – PSDA stoves clusters.
• Biogas generation potential, COD, pH and sulfide concentration determination from tea factory effluents - for Reliance limited.

These should lead to collaborative projects on renewable energies in agriculture and industrial wastes utilization respectively.

• Capacity enhancement of local artisans on biomass energy efficient technologies dissemination in transmara district.
• Small hydro – in western Kenya and
• Solar tobacco curing.

• Potential partners/Collaborators/Donors in the energy projects

• Ministry of Trade and Industry (line ministry)
• GTZ – PSDA
• Finnish Embassy
• UNIDO
• UNDP – SGP
• Ministry of Energy
• World Bank – Carbon Finance
• The Agakhan Foundation (AKF)