INSTYTUT ROZWOJU WSI I ROLNICTWA POLSKIEJ AKADEMII NAUK

Their core work

IRWIR PAN is Poland's dedicated research institute for rural development and agricultural policy, part of the Polish Academy of Sciences. They study the social and economic dimensions of farming — how farms are structured, who enters and exits agriculture, and what policies support sustainable rural livelihoods. Their H2020 work focuses on farm resilience, low-input farming systems, and farmer wellbeing, bringing strong expertise in agricultural sociology and rural economics to European consortia.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

Their early H2020 work (2017-2018) centered on structural questions — farm demographics, new entrants to farming, resilience of family vs. corporate farms, and projections for EU farming systems. By 2021, their focus shifted decisively toward the human and social side: farmer mental health, wellbeing, social innovation, and working conditions. This reflects a broader European trend of recognizing that sustainable agriculture depends not just on economic viability but on the people doing the farming.

Moving from macro-level agricultural systems analysis toward human-centered research on farmer livelihoods, mental health, and social support — likely to pursue future work on just transitions in agriculture.

How they like to work

Always participates as a partner, never coordinates — consistent with a specialized research institute contributing domain expertise rather than managing large projects. They work in substantial consortia (42 unique partners across 17 countries), indicating comfort in large multi-national teams where they deliver specific work packages. Their role is that of a knowledge contributor bringing Polish and Central European agricultural perspectives to pan-European research.

Connected to 42 unique partners across 17 countries, indicating a well-established European network in agricultural research. Their partnerships span Western and Eastern Europe, positioning them as a bridge for Central European rural development perspectives.

What sets them apart

As a Polish Academy of Sciences institute dedicated specifically to rural and agricultural development, IRWIR PAN brings deep understanding of Central and Eastern European farming realities — smallholder structures, post-transition challenges, and diverse farm demographics that differ sharply from Western European models. Their combination of agricultural economics, rural sociology, and policy analysis makes them particularly valuable for projects needing multi-country comparative data on farm structures and farmer livelihoods.

Highlights from their portfolio

• LIFT
  Largest funding (EUR 153,250) — comprehensive assessment of low-input farming across multiple dimensions including ecosystem services, labour, and knowledge systems.
• FARMWELL
  Represents their newest research direction — farmer mental health and social innovation — a rapidly growing priority in EU agricultural policy.