The law provides for the establishment of Public Agricultural Research Institutes as semi-autonomous agencies under the policy guidance of the National Agricultural Research Organisation for the purpose of providing agricultural research services.
A public agricultural research institute is autonomous in its operations relating to the implementation of its programmes, allocation and management of its resources in accordance with its approved annual programmes and budget as approved by the council.
A Public Agricultural Research Institute is a body corporate with perpetual succession and a common seal and may sue or be sued in its own name and do things as body corporate may lawfully do.
A Public Agricultural Research Institute is under the general supervision of its management committee.
Public Agricultural Research Institutes are of two categories
National Agricultural Research Institutes
Zonal Agricultural Research and Development Institutes
In addition to the functions prescribed as Agricultural Research Providers, the specific functions of a public agricultural research institute as prescribed by the law are as follows—
Planning, conducting national strategic agricultural research which is of public interest and in case of zonal agricultural institute, conducting applied and adaptive research of zonal importance;
Acting as a centre of excellence and reference on specified agricultural research programmes and enterprises;
Conducting relevant training and skills development programmes for other agricultural research service providers;
Maintaining core technical, administrative research staff and facilities;
Providing technical back-stopping to advisory service providers in collaboration with NAADS;
Establishing and maintaining regular contacts and collaboration with other research and technology institutes both at national and international levels; and
Exploring new opportunities in agricultural research and development.
Part II — National Agricultural Research Institutes
The objectives of the National Agricultural Research Institutes is to manage and carry out agricultural research of a strategic nature and of national importance
Part IIi — Zonal Agricultural Research and Development Institutes
The objectives of the Zonal Agricultural Research and Development Institutes (ZARDIs) are to manage and carry out agricultural research whether applied or adaptive for a specific agro-ecological zone. The ZARDIs which are currently operational are:
