Spanish National Institute for Agricultural and Food Research and Technology (INIA)

The National Institute for Agricultural and Food Research and Technology (INIA) is an autonomous Public Research Organization belonging to the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation.

Its objectives are the programming, the coordination and the assignment of resources to scientific and technological activities, their monitoring and evaluation and the undertaking of research and technological development functions, including the technological transfer in Agriculture and Food sectors.

The INIA distributes its activity between three major areas:

• As a public research organization.
• As the sectorial coordinator of food and agricultural research with the autonomous regions.
• As a manager body for international cooperation in matters of agricultural science and technology.

The INIA carries out its own research through three centres and six departments: The Forest Research Centre (CIFOR), the Centre for Animal Health Research (CISA), the Plant Genetic Resources  Centre (CRF) and the departments of Biotechnology, Environment, Animal Breeding and Genetics, Plant Protection, Animal Reproduction and Food Technology.

The INIA is a programme owner and responsible to make the public calls, defining, financing and managing research strategic research programmes at national level (in coordination with the regional authorities) such as the Agricultural Resources and Technologies Programme, the Conservation of Genetic Resources of Agro-food Interest Programme, the Interaction between Wild Fauna and Extensive Livestock Programme, and the Agro-forest Carbon Sinks of Greenhouse Effect Programme.