The Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Act of 2013 establish Associate Institutes as organs of KALRO, upon application and approval by the Board. An Associate Institute is defined as any institution which undertakes agricultural or similar research, not being part of or sponsored by any of the agricultural-sector related Ministries, and which has access and makes use of public resources. Associate Institutes are included in KALRO in order to have better coordination of agriculture and livestock related research for the benefit of farmers and other stakeholders, leading to increased productivity.