| In 1965, the government of Cameroon created the National Office for Scientific and Technical Research (known by its french acronym as ONAREST) with the aim of centralising agricultural research activities in a single organ. Formerly these activities were carried out in many local structures or given out as contracts to foreign research organisations.
Within, ONAREST, three institutes with activities in agricultural and forestry research were created in 1974
In 1979, the General Delegation for Scientific and Technical Research (DGRST) was created. It had 5 institutes: the Institute of Agronomic Research (IRA) later replaced the Institute of Agricultural and Forestry Research (IRAF) and it's headquarter removed from Buea to Yaoundé. In the same vane, the Institute of Zootechnical, Pastoral and Veterinary Research (IZVP) carried out activities that were formerly done by the Institute of Animal Husbandary and Veterinary Medicine of Tropical countries (I.E.M.V.T). The headquarters moved from Ngaoundere to Yaounde.
In 1984, the DGRST became the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research (MESRES).
Agricultural Research in Cameroon faced serious difficulties from 1986. This provoked a restructuring plan that was characterised by a reduced infrastructure and personnel, the regionalisation of research and reinforcement of relations with development. This paved he way for the creation of IRAD in 1996 through the merging of IRA and IRZV.
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IRAD'S HISTORY 
