Brief History

The Samaru Agricultural Station started in 1922 as the research arm of the defunct Department of Agriculture of the Northern Provinces. It became Institute for Agricultural Research in 1962 as a component of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. It was responsible for agricultural research for the whole of the northern States of Nigeria.

Institute for Agricultural Research has national coordination responsibility for sorghum, maize, groundnut, cowpea and cotton; a joint co-ordination role for Horticulture and Soil-water management in addition to Farming system responsibility or the North west zone of Nigeria. The Institute operated outstations in Kano, Talata-Mafara, Kadawa, Mokwa and Yandev in addition to several experimental sisters for fair research coverage of northern Nigeria. Currently, it has painfully giving up Yandev and Mokwa but have beefed up its research presence in its mandate zone. It has open new station (Minjibir) in Kano State and enhance irrigation research under Hadejia-Jama’are and Sokoto-Rima Basins. The Institute has forged a very effective collaboration with several international research institutes which has provided vital equipment, experience and support.

Mission

The Institute is poised to serve as centre of excellence for sustainable, affordable, efficient and easily adoptable technologies to enhance farm productivity and product utilization in Nigeria.

Philosophy

Research and Services
* Genetic improvement of cowpea, cotton, groundnut, maize, sorghum, castor,
sunflower and Artemisia
* Problems of production of all agricultural food crops grown in the north-west
agro-ecological zone covering Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto
and Zamfara States
* Carryout agricultural extension research liaison with relevant Federal and State Ministries, primary agricultural producers, industries and any other users of research results
Organize technical and vocational courses in agricultural crop production and related fields
Provide laboratory and other technical services to farmers, agro-based industries and others in need of these services
Collaborate with other relevant Research Institutes and Organizations in carrying out its mandate

Particular problems to be addressed include:
Crops agronomy including improved agronomic practices and harvesting methods
Adaptation of introduced and improved cultivars
Development and testing of pests and disease control measures
Farming systems including integration of livestock, tree crops and agroforestry into production systems
Socio-economic problems of agricultural production
Soil management including problems of soil structure, fertility and stabilization
Irrigated crops production
Simple preservation, storage and processing in the rural settings
Design, development and fabrication of simple agricultural implements and equipment

Collaborators
The Institute maintains a strong collaborative work with a number of Universities, Centres, National and International Organizations, Non-Governmental Organizations which include: International Crop Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), International Centre for Maize and Wheat (CIMMYT), International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), DuPond, MARKETS, PIONEER, Department for International Development (DFID), Kirkhouse Trust, University of Virginia, University of Wagenengen, Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), International Fertilizer Development Centre (IFDC), Sasakawa Global 2000 (SG2000), Africa Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF), Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA), United States Agency for International Development (USAID), United Nationals Development Programme (UNDP), Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), International Fund Agricultural Development (IFAD), Africa Harvest, etc.

Publications

Journal Publications
Conference Proceedings
Books / Chapters

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