The Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development Institute (SARDI)

The Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development Institute (SARDI) is a satellite campus of the Southern University Agricultural Land-Grant Campus located in Opelousas, La. The Institute focuses on improving the socioeconomic well-being of citizens in rural communities within a ten-parish region of St. Landry, Acadia, Allen, Avoyelles, Beauregard, Evangeline, Lafayette, Pointe Coupee, St. Martin, and Vermillion Parishes.

SARDI’s primary objectives are to:

1) Provide leadership that assures focused, applied rural development research and community outreach

2) Increase awareness and understanding of rural development conditions, issues strategies and policies

3) Provide rural community stakeholders and policy makers with the information necessary for public policy decision-making.