The Agricultural Research Council (CRA) is a National Research Organization which operates under the supervision of the Ministry of Agriculture, with general scientific competence within the fields of agriculture, agroindustry, food, fishery and forestry.

The CRA has been established with the legislative decree n.454/99 and gathers together the experience of 28 Agricultural Research Institutes and their relative 54 peripheral operational units for a total of 82 offices throughout the nation.

On March 22 2006, following the agreement of the Conference of Regions, the approval decree for the “Reorganization and Rationalization Plan”, previously deliberated by the Board of Directors of the CRA, has been released.

During a time period of four years, the Reorganization Plan, intends to implement 15 Centers and 32 Research Units organized in 5 Departments.

The distribution of the CRA offices throughout national territory allows it to widely extend its expertise and proficiency, and to closely operate in conjunction with central administrations, local and regional institutions, companies and various trade, industrial and legal associations.

As an outcome of this recent reorganization scheme, the Regions in particular, which serve as links between local organizations and agriculture, have assumed a key role in defining the orientation and course of CRA’s research.

The aggregation into one single institution allows it to pursue both the consolidation of the experience of historic research institutions, yet at the same time it conforms to the increasing need for innovation and technological evolution of the agricultural sector.

Therefore, in the light of the above mentioned approach, the CRA is now placed in a perspective of renovated competitiveness within the Agricultural research sector, both on European and International standards and that a further improved efficiency within the national socio-economic system.