CARDl - Cambodian Agricultural Research and Development Institute

In August 1999, the Cambodian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI) was officially established as a semi-autonomous institute. Under Sub-Decree 74, it became a full-fledged legal entity under the authority of the Director, which reports to the Board of Directors appointed by the Government. CARDI is designed to have autonomy in relation to its employees and physical and financial management. The institute was launched in early 2000 with just over 40 professional staff, including some who have just completed postgraduate studies abroad. Currently, most CARDI staff are transferred from the Department of Agriculture and Agricultural Land Improvement of the Ministry of Agriculture and the Department of Agricultural Engineering. Although CARDI's history seems to be recent, it evolves from the 12-year AusAID-funded Cambodia-IRRI-Australia Project (CIAP) and the purchase of 70 hectares of land in Preah Lang district, 20 km from Dangkor district. Meters from the south. Phnom Penh by the Royal Government of Cambodia (RGC). The CIAP and RGC stand out as the two main institutions responsible for the development of the CARDI, despite contributions from other donors who have assisted in the development of facilities and the provision of some technical assistance. The main goal of the CIAP before establishing the CARDI was to focus on food security by increasing rice production. Since that was achieved, well after CARDI was established, the focus has been on crop diversification and quality. CARDI's mission of "Technology for Prosperity" is based on an analysis of how the agricultural sector in Cambodia is expected to evolve in the future.