The Honduran Foundation for Agricultural Research (FHIA in Spanish) was founded on May 15, 1984 as a private, non-profit and apolitical organization. Early on, its main function was to do research and transfer technologies for non-traditional export products and for diversification. The Honduran Livestock and Agriculture Ministry and USAID designed the project for the Foundation’s creation in 1984. They took advantage of United Brands Company’s decision to end its banana research activities in La Lima, Cortés and to hand its facilities to the Honduran Government. The Honduran Government, in turn, decided that these facilities would now be used by FHIA. Today, the Foundation still works from there. It also has four Demonstrative and Experimental Centers in different agro-climatic regions of the country.

FHIA’s highest organism is its Assembly. The Administration Council is elected by the Assembly and is made up of 9 people, including the Livestock and Agriculture Minister. The rest of its members are associates that represent the country’s private business sector.