The document outlines the quality policy and objectives of the Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research (EIAR). It states that EIAR is committed to third party accreditation according to ISO/IEC 17025 standards for selected laboratories. The Director General supports this quality policy and laboratories must demonstrate compliance through independent accreditation. Each laboratory head is responsible for fulfilling quality requirements. The quality director must ensure staff understands the quality system and the importance of meeting customer and regulatory requirements through continual improvement.

1. Name of Inst itute Doc. number:
EIAR/RL/P1.0
Version No: 1
ETHIOPIAN INSTITUTE OF AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH
Page 1 of 1
Document Title: QUALITY POLICY AND QUALITY OBJECTIVES
Effect ive date: January, 2014
1. SCOPE
This document prescribes the policy and objectives of Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research (EIAR)
with regard to the development and maintenance of a quality system for selected laboratories, which satisfies
the requirements of ISO/IEC 17025.
2. QUALITY POLICY
2.1 I, Dr Fentahun Mengistu, Director General of EIAR, am fully committed to the concept of third party
recognition, by means of accreditation, of the capability of our laboratories to perform tests.
2.2 Consequently, in relation to laboratory activities, it is the policy of EIAR Laboratories to offer, at all
times, services that comply with the requirements as specified in the standard ISO/IEC 17025 General
requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories.
2.3 Compliance to ISO/IEC 17025 must be demonstrated through independent recognition by Ethiopian
National Accreditation Office. In the event where a laboratory achieves accreditation for specific tests,
or techniques for a specific purpose, it must offer to the customer a testing service based on those
accredited tests or techniques and must not offer non-accredited tests using the same
methods/techniques. However, alternative non-accredited methodologies or techniques may be offered,
as in the case where a customer requires a specific test method or technique to be used.
2.4 Each laboratory head is hereby empowered with the necessary authority to fulfill the responsibilities,
which are delegated to him/her, as Technical Manager in terms of ISO/IEC 17025.
2.5 It is the responsibility of the Quality Director and his/her Representatives to ensure that all personnel
become fully familiar with this policy and the means of its implementation through the documented
Quality System. It is also imperative that the Quality Director communicates to his/her staff the
importance of not only meeting customer requirements but also statutory and regulatory requirements
and good governance principles. Communication of the above to staff must begin on commencement of
duty in accordance with the training requirements and on an on-going basis through periodic meetings
and structured courses.
2.6 In line with our commitment that quality becomes the platform for driving our mandate; the quality
system must be implemented on the basis of continual improvement both in the quality system and in
the way that we carry out our mandate. All audits, corrective and preventive actions must be
approached in an opportunistic manner such that any action taken must have an underlying principle of
improvement in the effectiveness and efficiency of the system. Also, the Management Review process
must address improvements both in the Quality System and in the day to day activities.