Department of Agricultural Research (DAR) was established in 1952 as an experimental farm focusing on traditional basic research in crop production. In 1979 it was established within the Department of Field Services and much of the research activities were brought closer to the farmers through the on-farm research programmes.
DAR has five regional research stations namely Maseru, Siloe, Nyakosoba, Mahobong and Thaba-Tseka and six sub-stations,Matsieng, Tsifa-li-mali, Sakoane, Lekubane, Machache and Mokhotlong, distributed over three agro-ecological zones. The rationale for having regional and sub-stations is to have the ability to test technologies for adaptation and making recommendations to farmers at all agro-ecological zones representing various production and climatic conditions.