We are the leading Italian research organization dedicated to the agri-food supply chains. We operate as a legal entity under public law, and are supervised by the Ministry of Agricultural, Food, Forestry and Tourism Policies (Mipaaft). Our scientific activity covers agricultural crops, livestock, fishery, forestry, agro-industry, food science – and socio-economics . We have full scientific, statutory, organizational, administrative and financial autonomy. CREA was established in 2015, from the merging of CRA (Council for Agricultural Research) and INEA (National Institute of Agricultural Economics), two country-wide institutions active since mid of last century”.
Our commitment
To deal with the great challenges of the twenty-first century related to food production sustainability, following the principles of the circular, bio-based economy through a multidisciplinary approach that includes innovation transfer.
Our know-how ranges from genetics and physiology to mechanics and robotics; from innovative techniques for the management of sustainable productions, including practices to improve soil fertility and plant protection, to silviculture, under natural and cultivated ecosystems, and livestock farming; from agro-food industry processes to the nutritional properties of foods and dietary aspects. Consumer protection and education as well as waste reduction are also a top priority in all our activities.
We employ over 2000 people, half of whom are researchers and technologists.
We possess several farms and experimental fields, allowing us to carry out our studies in the same conditions farmers operate under. This enable us to validate the results of our researches, verifying their feasibility and to ease dissemination to the final users.
In 2015, we became CREA, former Council for Agricultural Research – CRA, a country-wide institution. The new organization foresees 12 research centers (6 related to specific supply chains and 6 dedicated to horizontal topics) which are forming a capillary network of structures throughout the country. The reform of the Institution has allowed to rationalize financial and personnel resources, forming the critical mass needed to deliver cutting edge research results.