# Bridging two communities in farming system research: IFSA Europe Group and Farming System Design (slideshow)

Davide Rizzo, Teresa Pinto Correia, Andrea Knierim, Intissar Ferchichi, Hatem Belhouchette, Paolo Prosperi

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Davide Rizzo, Teresa Pinto Correia, Andrea Knierim, Intissar Ferchichi, Hatem Belhouchette, et al. Bridging two communities in farming system research: IFSA Europe Group and Farming System Design (slideshow). 8. International Farming System Design Conference, Farming System Design, Aug 2025, Palaiseau, France. 10.5281/zenodo.16915876. ird-05217054

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# Bridging two communities in farming system research: IFSA Europe group and Farming System Design

Davide Rizzo<fnref n="1" />, Teresa Pinto-Correia<fnref n="2" />, Andrea Knierim<fnref n="3" />, Intissar Ferchichi<fnref n="1" />, Hatem Belhouchette<fnref n="4" />,<fnref n="5" />, Paolo Prosperi<fnref n="4" />,<fnref n="6" />

<footnote n="1">¹LISAH, Univ Montpellier, AgroParisTech, INRAE, Institut Agro, IRD, Montpellier, France</footnote>

<footnote n="2">²MED/CHANGE, University of Évora, Portugal</footnote>

<footnote n="3">³University of Hohenheim, Germany</footnote>

<footnote n="4">⁴CIHEAM-IAMM, Univ Montpellier, Montpellier, France</footnote>

<footnote n="5">⁵UMR ABSys, Univ Montpellier, CIHEAM-IAMM, CIRAD, INRAE, Institut Agro, Montpellier, France</footnote>

<footnote n="6">⁶MoISA, Univ Montpellier, CIHEAM-IAMM, CIRAD, INRAE, Institut Agro, IRD, Montpellier, France</footnote>
# Framing the challenges

**Multi-level complexity (wicked problems)**

agri-food transitions towards sustainability span farm, community, landscape, and regional levels with interlinked ecological, economic, and social issues<fnref n="1" />

**Combined uncertainties (polycrises)**

weather extremes driven by climate change, market volatility, and rapidly shifting geopolitical frameworks increase unpredictability in farming systems

**Bridging perspectives (bridges)**

opportunity to enhance connections and synergies between research and knowledge communities addressing sustainability challenges for farming systems²

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Landscape level integrations

Systemic transitions

Inter- and trans-disciplinarity

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Mixed agricultural landscape and a warning sign, Mirabel, FR, June 2025 CC BY 4.0 D. Rizzo https://flic.kr/p/2ropYwf

<footnote n="1">¹ Batie 2008 — ² Brossier et al., 2012, Meynard et al. 2023</footnote>
# What's New in Terms of Results? Bridging IFSA & FSD

## Complementary trajectories

**IFSA** — framing **farming system research**<fnref n="1" /> with important contribution from the **social sciences**, analyzing farmers behavior, cultural determinants, path dependencies, innovation mechanisms

**FSD** — modeling/design focus with agronomy societies and communities²

## Common challenges

**Systemic transitions** towards sustainable agriculture under global changes

## Underexplored dimensions

**Landscape-level integrations** and connection with close communities (e.g., Global Landscape Forum, Landscape-ZALF, STRN Agri-Food Transition Group)³

**Modelling** the social- behavioral dimensions of farming systems

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Sketch generated with Gemini, adapted from Simon Kneebone cartoon in Lardon et al. 2012, p261

<footnote n="1">¹ Byerlee et al. 1982, Darnhofer et al. 2012 — ² Salembier et al. 2021 — ³ Rizzo et al. 2013</footnote>
# What's New in Terms of Methodology?

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LEGEND

* Functional approaches

* Key concepts (examples)

* Collaboration opportunities

Conceptual diagram connecting some key concepts in farming system research and farming system design

**IFSA:** empirical, interdisciplinary, anchored in extension and knowledge systems

**FSD:** theory-driven modeling, participatory, exploratory design approaches

**Collaboration opportunities:**

- **decision & design** theories as shared foundations

- **expanding modelling** to behavioral, path dependencies, cultural dimensions
# Propositions for Teaching, Advisory, R&D

**Teaching:** integrate holistic (IFSA) + design-based (FSD) approaches in interdisciplinary land management curricula<fnref n="1" />

**Advisory services:** supporting organizations like CGIAR to enhance farmer engagement with co-design & visualization tools for knowledge exchange²

**R&D institutions:** develop connections with learned (agronomy) societies, policymakers, and innovation hubs for actionable systemic innovation³

<figure><img src="image_6.png" /></figure>

Visit of the experimental ZALF fields during Landscape conference, Müncheberg, DEU, Sep. 2025 CC BY 4.0 D. Rizzo https://flic.kr/p/2roj774

<footnote n="1">¹ Lardon & Pinto-Correia 2022 — ² Richelle et al. 2024 — ³Thenail et al. 2022</footnote>
# Conclusion and Call to action

Cross-analysis of case studies (e.g. proceedings)<fnref n="1" />

Jointly formulated research questions: farming systems, actor networks, socio-technical systems

Toward systemic, practice-relevant knowledge production with communities of practice (e.g. system.s)

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IFSA
INTERNATIONAL
FARMING
SYSTEMS
ASSOCIATION
EUROPE GROUP

https://ifsa2026.sciencesconf.org/

**IFSA2026:** Farming and Agri-Food Systems dynamics: facing crises and trade-offs in transition pathways

**29 Jun-3 Jul 2026 MONTPELLIER (France)**

1. Transformative changes

2. Landscape and communities

3. Capacity development to support systemic change: approaches, methods and tools

4. Food Production, Consumption, Food Landscape & WEFE Nexus resources

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The iconic Three Graces, Place de la Comédie, Montpellier, FRA, June 2024 CC BY 4.0 D. Rizzo https://flic.kr/p/2roqdbt

<footnote n="1">¹ Barbier et al. 2012, Wery & Langeveld 2010</footnote>
References

Barbier M, Bompart M, Garandel-Batifol V, Mogoutov A (2012) Textual analysis and scientometric mapping of the dynamic knowledge in and around the IFSA community. In: Darnhofer I, Gibbon D, Dedieu B (eds) *Farming Systems Research into the 21st Century: The New Dynamic*. Springer Netherlands, Dordrecht, pp 73–94
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-4503-2_4

Batie SS (2008) Wicked Problems and Applied Economics. Am J Agric Econ 90:1176–1191. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8276.2008.01202.x

Brossier J, Contini C, Zorini LO, Cristóvão A (2012) The origins of the European IFSA: the first meetings and the agenda renewal. In: Darnhofer I, Gibbon D, Dedieu B (eds) *Farming Systems Research into the 21st Century: The New Dynamic*. Springer Netherlands, Dordrecht, pp 33–48 https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-4503-2_2

Byerlee D, Harrington L, Winkelmann DL (1982) Farming systems research: Issues in research strategy and technology design. Am J Agric Econ 64:897–904

Darnhofer I, Gibbon D, Dedieu B (2012) Farming systems research: an approach to inquiry. In: *Farming Systems Research into the 21st Century: The New Dynamic*. Springer, pp 3–31 https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-4503-2_1

Donatelli M (ed), Hatfield J (ed), Rizzoli A (ed) (2007) *Farming Systems Design 2007: Farm-regional scale design and improvement conference proceedings*. Gorgonzola (MI), Italy: Global Print
http://hdl.handle.net/10919/69085

Lardon, S., Moonen, A.-C., Marraccini, E., Debolini, M., Galli, M., & Loudiyi, S. (2012). The Territory Agronomy Approach in research, education and training. In I. Darnhofer, D. Gibbon, & B. Dedieu, *Farming Systems Research into the 21st Century: The New Dynamic* (pp. 257–281). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-4503-2_12

Lardon, S., & Pinto-Correia, T. (2022). Innovation in Education and Training: Insights from New Integrative Approaches. In D. Rizzo, E. Marraccini, & S. Lardon (Eds.), *Landscape Agronomy: Advances and Challenges of a Territorial Approach to Agricultural Issues* (1st ed., pp. 209–228). Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-05263-7_7

Meynard J-M, Cerf M, Coquil X, et al (2023) Unravelling the step-by-step process for farming system design to support agroecological transition. Eur J Agron 150:126948. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eja.2023.126948

Richelle, L., Brauman, A., Romagny, B., Venot, J.-P., Masse, D., Cournac, L., Léonard, E., Imache, A., & Rizzo, D. (2024). A reflexive collaborative workshop on agroecology narratives and researchers' postures. *Natures Sciences Sociétés*, 32(4), 8. https://doi.org/10.1051/nss/2025012

Rizzo D, Marraccini E, Lardon S, et al (2013) Farming systems designing landscapes: land management units at the interface between agronomy and geography. *Geogr Tidsskr-Dan J Geogr* 113:71–86. https://doi.org/10.1080/00167223.2013.849391

Salembier C, Segrestin B, Weil B, et al (2021) A theoretical framework for tracking farmers' innovations to support farming system design. *Agron Sustain Dev* 41:61. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13593-021-00713-z

Thenail, C., Moonen, A. C., Lardon, S., Marraccini, E., & Rizzo, D. (2022). Landscape Agronomy: Lessons Learned and Challenges Ahead, from a European Perspective. In D. Rizzo, E. Marraccini, & S. Lardon (Eds.), *Landscape Agronomy: Advances and Challenges of a Territorial Approach to Agricultural Issues* (1st ed., pp. 271–294). Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-05263-7_10

Wery J, Langeveld JWA (2010) Introduction to the EJA special issue on "Cropping Systems Design: new methods for new challenges." Eur J Agron 32:1–2. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eja.2009.10.001

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**Suggested citation:** Davide Rizzo, Teresa Pinto Correia, Andrea Knierim, Intissar Ferchichi, Hatem Belhouchette & Paolo Prosperi (2025). Bridging two communities in farming system research: IFSA Europe Group and Farming System Design. *Farming System Design for Sustainable Agrifood Systems: Theories and Practices.* 8th International Farming System Design Conference (FSD8), IDEAS, Aug 27, Palaiseau, France.

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.16915877

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The activities of Davide Rizzo and Intissar Ferchichi are funded by the French National Research Agency (grant no. ANR-22-CPJ1-0050-01), the French Research Institute for Sustainable Development (IRD), and the University of Montpellier via the I-SITE MUSE Excellence Program in the framework of the junior professorship tenure track in landscape agronomy.