Instituto Nacional de Investigación Agropecuaria

Created by law in 1989, the National Institute of Agricultural Research (INIA Uruguay) has the following objectives:

1. Shaping and implementation of the agriculture research programs aiming at the generation and adequation of technologies according to the country´s needs and to the socio-economic situation of agriculture and livestock production;
2. Participation in the development of scientific and technological wealth at a national level, both in the agriculture and livestock sectors, through their own activities or even through an efficient coordination with other transference and research programs for technology research and transfer which are being carried out at both public and private levels;
3. Articulation of effective generated technology transfer, with the organizations of technical assistance and extension that work at both public and private levels.

Three experimental flocks (Corriedale, Australian Merino and Texel breed) and two laboratories (Parasitological and Biotech) are involved in SMARTER. INIA has new automated feeding systems with automatic weighing platforms. All the flocks are genetic linked with the commercial population and included in the National Genetic Evaluation implemented by INIA and the Uruguayan Wool Secretariat (SUL www.sul.org.uy). INIA researches have expertise in genetic and genomic analysis and have a very close relationship with the breeders association.

www.inia.uy