ISARA

Their core work

ISARA is a higher education institution based in Lyon, France, specializing in agricultural sciences with a strong focus on agroecology and sustainable farming systems. They conduct applied research on how ecological principles — from soil microbes and plant defense to pollinator services and landscape management — can be integrated into practical farming. Their recent work centers on building agroecological networks across Europe through living labs, multi-actor approaches, and policy development, bridging the gap between research findings and on-farm practice.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

ISARA's early H2020 work (2018–2019) was rooted in biological and ecological research — studying plant-microbe interactions, biocontrol agents, pollinators, and farm-level ecosystem dynamics through projects like EcoStack. By 2020–2023, their focus shifted decisively toward systems-level agroecological transformation: multi-actor engagement, living labs, policy development, and education. The coordination of AE4EU in 2021 marks their transition from contributing ecological science to leading the institutional and policy infrastructure for agroecology across Europe.

ISARA is moving from ecological field science toward becoming a coordination hub for agroecological transition in Europe, combining living labs, education, and policy design.

How they like to work

ISARA primarily operates as a consortium partner (3 of 4 projects), but their coordination of AE4EU shows growing ambition to lead multi-actor initiatives. With 61 unique partners across 24 countries from just 4 projects, they work in large, diverse consortia rather than small focused teams. This broad network suggests they are well-connected across European agricultural research and comfortable operating in complex, multi-country collaborations.

ISARA has built a remarkably wide network for its project count — 61 unique partners across 24 countries from just 4 projects, indicating involvement in large pan-European consortia. Their reach spans well beyond Western Europe, reflecting the continent-wide scope of agroecological and environmental research.

What sets them apart

ISARA occupies a distinctive niche as an agricultural higher education institution that combines ecological field research with practical farming engagement and policy work. Unlike pure research institutes, their education mandate means they actively train the next generation of agroecological practitioners. Their progression from studying biodiversity mechanisms to coordinating European agroecological networks makes them a valuable partner for projects that need to connect scientific evidence with on-the-ground farming practice and policy uptake.

Highlights from their portfolio

• AE4EU
  ISARA's only coordinated project — a Coordination and Support Action building pan-European agroecology infrastructure through living labs and policy labs.
• EcoStack
  Largest funding (EUR 592,815) and longest duration (6 years), investigating how to stack multiple ecosystem services for crop protection and pollination.
• PONDERFUL
  Expands ISARA's scope beyond agriculture into freshwater ecosystem resilience under climate change, showing cross-domain versatility.