IRTA is a Research Institute of the Catalan Government. It was created by Law 23/1985 on 28th November 1985 by the Parliament of Catalonia. IRTA's activities are concerned with scientific research and technology transfer in the area of agriculture, aquaculture and the agrifood industry and it functions under private sector law.
IRTA was created as an expression of the will to form an efficient instrument through the policy of stimulus for technological innovation based on scientific advances and to help its operation through economic means. This is seen as an unavoidable way of contributing to the modernization and economic development of both the agrifood sector and the country.
Among its general objectives are to stimulate research and technological development within the agrifood area, to facilitate the transfer of scientific advances and to promote its own technological advances by looking for the maximum co-ordination and collaboration with the public and private sector.
IRTA has promoted, since its creation, the establishment of permanent collaboration agreements with other public institutions in Catalonia that work in the area of research and technological development. As a result, this policy has led to the existence of a network of associated centres (e.g. between IRTA, Universities, CSIC, Committees, etc.) that can be defined as a co-operative R+D system.