The IFSA Europe Group
The regional IFSA association for Europe was formed in 1992, among others to appoint a European representative to the IFSA board. To emphasise its international scope, i.e. that the focus of its research is not just on Europe, the group kept its original name (i.e. "IFSA Europe Group") and did not change to "European Farming Systems Association" which would have been an alternative.
The IFSA Europe Group is organised as a network of loosely affiliated individuals and managed by the Steering Committee appointed for a period of two years. The group and its meetings are open to all those committed to farming systems approach. To emphasise its openness, the IFSA Europe Group does not have formal membership.
The main activity of the IFSA Europe Group is the organisation of its biannual Symposium. So far Symposia have been held in Edinburg (UK), Granada (Spain), Hohenheim (Germany), Volos (Greece), Florence (Italy), Vila Real (Portugal), Wageningen (Netherlands) and Clermont Ferrand (France). The next European IFSA Symposium will be held in July 2010 in Vienna (Austria).