History

In 1988, the Ministry of Agriculture founded the National Soil Service Laboratory, with financial and technical assistance from FAO and UNDP. It was then transferred to the Ethiopian Agricultural Research Organization (EARO) as the National Soil Research Center in 1997, over ten years later. Its duties included conducting studies to assess soil resources, offering analytical services, and conducting soil and water research activities. In 2007, the Center was once more transferred back to the Ministry of Agriculture and given the new name “National Soil Testing Center.”

Realizing that proper utilization of soil resources is crucial for the development of the agricultural sector which requires solving strategic bottlenecks, the government of Ethiopia decided to restructure institutions. Accordingly, the Council of Ministers of the FDRE held its 40th regular meeting in 2020 and endorsed the establishment of the Ethiopian Soil Resources Institute (ESRI) basing at the National Soil Testing Center under regulation No. 418/2017 assuming the responsibility to carry out its duties among which establishing a modern soil resource information system and identifying the level of soil fertility and health through research and developing technology can be mentioned. Nonetheless, the birth of the institution couldn’t be realized for various reasons encountered. Since 2021, NSRC was again transferred to the Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research (EIAR) under proclamation number 1263/2014 holding the duties and responsibility of the ESRI and became one of the centers of the EIAR.

Year of Establishment: 1988
Current location: Kirkose Sub city, Addis Ababa
Center of Excellence: Validation and adaptation of analytical methods and procedures, provision of
laboratory analytical service, promotion of bio-fertilizer, establishing a modern soil resource information
system, Capacity building.
Address: National Soil Research Center   Kiskose Sub city Addis Ababa
Tel: (251-011)550830005/ 0977320196
Fax: (251 011)5515288
P.O.Box: 147