The National Agriculture and Forestry Research Institute of Laos was established in 1999 in order to consolidate agriculture and forestry research activities within the country and develop a coordinated National Agriculture and Forestry Research System. NAFRI belongs to the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) and is equal in status to other technical departments under MAF.
Mandates and responsibilities
NAFRI is mandated to undertake integrated agriculture, forestry and fisheries research in order to provide technical information, norms and results which help to formulate strategy in accordance with the government policies. NAFRI has four main functions including: carrying out adaptive research, developing methods, tools and information packages, providing policy feedback, and coordinating and managing research
The most updated mandate consists mainly of the following responsibilities:
- Develop specific programmes and projects to implement priority programmes set by MAF and the GoL.
- Playing a central role in land related studies including, land use planning and zoning and land management.
- Conducting research for germplasm collection and screening, seed/variety improvement, multiplication and other services.
- Conducting research for the development of effective and demand driven technologies, methods, models and systems for agriculture and forestry production.
- Gathering, processing, managing and exchanging information and research results with all relevant partners related to agriculture and forestry development.
- Coordinating with all relevant research and development partners at all levels.
- Managing, monitoring and evaluating research activities under its mandates
- Serving as secretariat to MAF Scientific Council
