The Ministry of Agrarian Development (MDA) leads rural technical assistance and extension services which focus on family agriculture. At the national level, the priorities for R&D are established by the national government through the different ministries involved in innovation, led by the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MCTI) which also has a strong role in providing resources for agricultural research, especially at the university R&D level. Agricultural research is thus integrated into the national innovation system, as reflected in the National Strategy for the Development of Science, Technology and Innovation 2012-15, and follows clear mechanisms at both the federal and state levels.