In 1996, the National Institute of Forest Research and the Research Center for Rural Engineering merged to create the National Research Institute for Rural Engineering, Water and Forestry (INRGREF), a public multidisciplinary research institution. The Institute's four research laboratories focus on rural engineering, non-conventional water use in agriculture, management of forest resources, and forest ecology. Its seven experimental stations support field research activities in different ecological regions in Tunisia.
As part of its research program, the Institute supervises PhD projects, offers seminars and professional training, and hosts yearly workshops and conferences. INRGREF has financial autonomy under the Tunisian Institute for Agricultural Research and Higher Education (IRESA) and a permanent staff of 57 researchers, 62 technicians, 17 administrative personnel, and 109 laborers. INRGREF collaborates with more than 50 international institutions and organizations from the MENA region, Europe, Asia, and the United States.
