Created under the term of the law No. 76/6 of 7 January 1976, IRA is mandated to conduct the needed research to develop the agricultural sector, the protection and conservation of natural resources and the fight against desertification in arid and desert regions.

Main mandate:

Undertake researches for the development of the agricultural sector, conservation of natural resources and combating desertification in the dry areas 
Training and capacity building of technicians and specialists in dry land agriculture and combat desertification 
Contribution to the extension efforts for the agricultural sector and the conservation and development of natural resources 
Provide assistance and expertise for the development projects in the area. 

IRA has five laboratories: 

• Laboratory of Livestock & Wildlife of the Dry and Saharan Regions
• Laboratory of rainfed farming and oasis cropping
• Laboratory of Rangeland Ecology of the Dry and Saharan Regions
• Laboratory of Agricultural Economics and Rural Societies
• Laboratory of Eremology and Combating Desertification 

The main missions of the laboratory are:

• Inventory and monitoring of desertification
• Wind erosion and sand encroachment control
• Conservation and valorization of water and soil resources
• Desertification monitoring and climate change impacts
• Development of water saving and management techniques 
• Improvement of soil physical and chemical characteristics

Ira Staff involved in the project:

Saifeddine ETURKI                                               Gouider ATALLAH                                            Faiza KHALFELLI 

Project coordinator                                                 Financial reporting assistant                                    Communication expert

   
Ferjani BESSAOUD                                                  Rim WERHENI                                                  Ahmed DHIAB 

   Facilitator                                                Technician in soil analysis and microbiology                               Technician 
   
 

Feryel HAJJAJI    

   Researcher