Institute of Agriculture and Rural Development (IARD) started as a community-based organization, Tinkifirah Descendant Association (TDA), comprising membership in communities in the Koinadugu and Falaba Districts.  The association was created in 2004 as a social and welfare forum that later evolved in 2007 to a registered community-based development organization. Further in 2017 it evolved to a non-governmental development organization until in 2021 it finally transformed to a professional non-profit development company, Institute of Agriculture and Rural Development (IARD), registered and incorporated under the laws of Sierra Leone through the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) headquartered in Kabala Town, Koinadugu/Falaba District, Northern Province of Sierra Leone. As IARD membership is  now open to other communities  throughout the country.