Institute of Policy and Strategy for Agriculture and Rural Development - IPSARD In the new phase rural development, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) is in the process of changing its development strategy focusing on several key directions, from supply-driven to demand-driven approach, from mass production to quality improvement, from pro-growth to sustainable growth. This increasingly challenging environment requires substantial changes in institutional factors. The leadership also has to make decisions basing on reliable and timely information and in-depth analysis. To meet these requirements, the Government issued Decision 9WQD-TTg on 09/09/2006 to establish Institute of Policy and Strategy for Agriculture and Rural Development. In the new context of development, IPSARD is doing best to improve quality of research and information activities. We believes that together with the support and co-operation from leaders, agencies and individual domestically and abroad as well as the international organizations, IPSARD will become a think-tank for MARD, providing the analysis and results supporting strategy and policy formulation process in agriculture and rural development. FUNCTIONS AND MANDATES 1. Doing research into scientific base and assessing impacts of policies, strategies, plans, and programs…in agriculture and rural development sector. + Research into agricultural commodities and markets + Research into agricultural economic integration + Research into rural society and economy, farming system + Research into social and economic aspects of resource management and environment protection in agricultural sector 2. Providing multi-dimensioned and multi-media information to support decision-making process in management, production, trade, and investment…relating to agriculture and rural development. + Information on agricultural and rural policies and strategies + Information on market, trade promotion, economic integration + Information on poverty reduction and rural development + Information on agricultural resource management, and sustainable environmental development 3. Implementing cooperation activities in research, technology transfer, training, consultation and model development with domestic and foreign institutions and individuals.