What is IFSA?

The International Farming Systems Association (IFSA) is a global organization dedicated to research and promotion of sustainable farming systems. IFSA brings together academics, farmers, and policymakers to discuss innovative practices that integrate agricultural production with environmental conservation. 

Built on the challenge ‘to give voice to small farmers’, IFSA focuses on farming systems research to help smallholder development in the tropics. In 1992, the IFSA Europe Group was formed and mandated with organizing a bi-annual European Symposium. These symposia are a platform for dialogue between scientists and practitioners from a wide range of theoretical background and methodological focus.

The European IFSA conferences are biennial events organized in rotation by European universities and research institutes involved in farming systems research and extension. The first symposium was organized in Edinburgh in October 1993.

Previous IFSA conferences

IFSA 2024. Hosted by CREA, the Council for Agricultural Research and Economics, Trapani (Italy) https://ifsa2024.crea.gov.it/

IFSA 2022. Hosted by the University of Evora (Portugal) http://www.ifsa2022.uevora.pt/

IFSA 2018. Hosted by the Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Chania (Greece)

IFSA 2016. Hosted by the Harper Adams University in Newport (England, United Kingdom) https://www.harper-adams.ac.uk/events/ifsa/

IFSA 2014. Hosted by the Humboldt University of Berlin, ZALF, INKA BB (Germany) https://webarchive.zalf.de/IFSA_2014/project2.zalf.de/IFSA_2014/index.html

IFSA 2012. Hosted by the Aarhus University (Denmark)

IFSA 2010. Hosted by BOKU, Vienna (Austria) https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-94-007-4503-2 

IFSA 2008. Hosted by INRA in Clermont-Ferrand (France) https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-94-007-4503-2 

IFSA 2006. Hosted by the Wageningen University (The Netherlands)

IFSA 2004. Hosted by the University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (Portugal)