The institute is mandated to conduct research and training in the production and management of mandate crops like sorghum, maize, groundnut, cotton, etc that are grown in the savannah region of Nigeria

The Institute for Agricultural research (IAR), Samaru was established in 1924 as the research division of the Department of Agriculture for the defunct Northern region of Nigeria. IAR was formally transferred by law to the late established Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) on October 14, 1962. With the Federalization of the University in 1975, the IAR was affiliated in accordance with statute 14 of the University. IAR has been the bed rock of crop research and improvement in the savanna region of Nigeria. The re-organization of the National Agricultural Research Institute in 1987 mandated IAR to conduct research and provide services as follows:

a.) genetic improvement of cowpea, cotton, groundnut, maize, sorghum, castor and sunflower
b.) problems of production of all agricultural food crops grown in the north-west agro-ecological zone covering Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto and Zamfara States

Particular problems to be addressed include:

i) Crops agronomy including improved agronomic practices and harvesting methods
ii) Adaptation of introduced and improved cultivars
iii) Development and testing of pests and disease control measures
iv) Farming systems including integration of livestock, tree crops and agro forestry into Production systems v) Socio-economic problems of agricultural production
vi) Soil management including problems of soil structure, fertility and stabilization
vii) Irrigated crops production viii) Simple preservation, storage and processing in the rural settings
ix) Design, development and fabrication of simple agricultural implements and equipment

c.) carry out agricultural extension research liaison with relevant Federal and State Ministry, primary agricultural producers, industries and any other users of research results.
d.) organize technical and vocational courses in agricultural crop production and related fields
e.) provide laboratory and other technical services to farmers, agro-based industries and others in need of these services
f.) collaborate with other relevant Research Institutes and organization in carrying out its mandate.

Although the IAR is affiliated to the Ahmadu Bello University, it is being funded and supervised by the Agricultural Sciences Department of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources. It has joint ABU/IAR academic Departments of Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology, Agricultural Engineering, Agronomy, Crop Protection, Plant Science and Soil Science. Consequently, all the 64 research staff of the Institute have teaching responsibilities in ABU apart from their primary assignments of research in IAR. As a result, IAR and ABU Faculty of Agriculture undertake joint implementation of research projects and postgraduate training in the university.

IAR has three substations at Kadawa, Kano and Talata Mafara. The Substations at Kadawa and Talata Mafara are located within large scale irrigation schemes, namely, the Hadejia-Jama'are River Basin and the Sokoto Rima River Basing respectively. They are used for research in irrigated agriculture. The Kano substation is used for research in sudan and sahel savanna ecologies.

Research at IAR is organized into 8 Programs. Each research program is headed by a Leader and the Committee members are multi disciplinary.

At present, there are 615 administrative and support staff, 110 technical staff, and 64 research staff. The ratio of research to technical staff is approximately 1:2. The research scientists are in areas of plant breeding, agronomy, crop physiology, horticulture, soil science, plant protection, biometrics, agricultural mechanization, agriculture economics and extension, irrigation and food science and technology

The development of new crop varieties and improved cultural practices are important aspects of research aimed at improving production and utilization systems. Significant progress has been made in the development and release of high yielding, disease and pest resistant varieties with good quality and adaptation as well as acceptability to consumers. For rapid agricultural development activities, among others, must be ensured and be made to serve as catalysts.

IAR, Samaru has over the years introduced, bred, tested, selected and formally released for production numerous improved crop varieties, attached appropriate production packages, pest, disease and weed control, harvesting, processing and storage techniques.
b. Crop-based Technologies
Some of the most important crop varieties released by IAR Samaru are:

1. Cowpea - nine varieties of cowpea for different ecologies have been developed and released for production. The most popular are SAMPEA 6 and SAMPEA 7 with yield potential of 2.5t/ha and resistance to many stress factors. SAMPEA 6 is one of the parents of the American black eye beans. SAMPEA 8 is extra-early in maturity while SAMPEA 9 is dual purpose (high grain and fodder yields). Many of the cowpeas eaten in most of Nigerian households are our products. SAMPEA 9 have been developed in collaboration with IITA.

2. Cotton - thirteen cotton varieties have been developed and released to cotton farmers in Nigeria. SAMCOT 11, SAMCOT 12 and SAMCOT 13 are the latest varieties released. They are long staple and resistant to alternaria leaf spots and bacterial blight. Our cotton varieties supply raw materials to the numerous textile industries and oil mills across the country. The new long staple varieties can be used as substitute to imported long staple fibres thereby conserving our foreign exchange.

3. Groundnut - twenty-three varieties have been developed in collaboration with ICRISAT and released to farmers in different ecologies. The most popular ones are the rosette and drought resistant varieties. The latest released are the extra-early and the dual purpose types. Our groundnuts supply most of the cooking oil used in Nigerian households and most of the cake to livestock feed industries.

4. Maize - fourteen maize varieties have been released to farmers in different ecological zones. Of the newly released varieties, SAMMAZ 11 is Striga hermonthica ressitant, while SAMMAZ 12 SAMMAZ 13, are extra-early white and yellow grains respectively. SAMMAZ 14 is equally protein maize, which has higher levels of lysine and tryptophan, the two limiting essential amino acids in maize. A lot of the maize consumed in every house in Nigeria in one form or the other is a product of IAR in collaboration IITA and other national reseach institutes. Maize is indispensable in the attainment of national food security and as a raw material in many agro-based industries.

5. Sorghum - forty-five sorghum varieties suitable for Sahel, Sudan and Guinea Savanna ecologies, have been developed and released in collaboration with ICRISAT. Among the most prominent ones are SAMSORG 17 and SAMSORG 40 which are suitable for malt production. Nigerian breweries have since been using these varieties as substitute to barley. The bulk of the foreign exchange needed to import barley is therefore conserved.

6. Other crops - Prior to the 1987 reorganization of National Agricultural Research Institutes (NARIs), IAR Samaru had recorded significant achievements in other crops including millet in collaboration with ICRISAT (7 varieties), tomato (7 fresh market, 9 processing and 4 heat tolerant varieties), onions, pepper, grape vine and kenaf varieties

The following are our commercializable research findings: Composite flour including sorghum and cassava composite flour technologies for bread, cakes, biscuits, cookies, etc. Zobo drink and zobo concentrate technologies are also available. For more information, please visit IAR website :www.iar-samaru.org