Central Agricultural Research Institute evolved from the Central Agriculture Experiment Station (CAES) which started in 1948. Based on the Government of Liberia's change of agricultural development and policy in 1980, the Central Agricultural Research Institute became a semi-autonomous research agency of the Ministry of Agriculture. As a semi-autonomous institution, its management enjoys a relative latitude of flexibility to operate independently, outside the Ministry’s administration.

Following the Liberia Agricultural Development policy (1980), the Research Institute is a semi-autonomous agency headed by a Director. The Minister of Agriculture has responsibility for the overall coordination of the National Agriculture Research Program.

The Agricultural Research Committee is a policy-making body established as an independent committee to decide and approve policies for applied, adaptive research in agriculture in the country at the National level. The Committee decides on priorities, taking into consideration the importance, urgency, and availability of resources. It allocates and approves funds for research proposals as submitted by the Technical Committee. The Research Committee solicits, approves, and receives funds from the Government and all other possible sources for agricultural research. It is incumbent on the Committee to lay down procedures for the release of funds and for proper accounting and auditing. The Committee meets twice a year to consider matters relating to agricultural research. The composition of the Committee includes the following:

The Minister of Agriculture - Chairperson; Principal Deputy Minister of Agriculture - Vice Chairperson; Deputy Minister of Agriculture for Technical Affairs - secretary; Deputy Minister of Agriculture for Planning and Development - Member; President of the University of Liberia -  Member; President of Cuttington University - Member; Director of Rural Development Institute - Member; Director, Liberia Institute for Biomedical Research -  Member; one private Farmer nominated by the Minister of Agriculture - Member.