Members

ESAAF members are leading applied research institutes or universities with strong ties to agri-food and socio-economic actors. Their work is grounded in real-world needs and often includes policy-support activities. Each member represents one EU country and serves as the national lead organisation, coordinating with other national research institutions interested in ESAAF.

Aarhus University
Aarhus University

Aarhus University was founded in 1928 and currently has 38.000 students, 5500 researchers and ranks among the top 100 universities in the world.

As a research-intensive institution producing more than 10,000 research publications annually, Aarhus University aspires to the highest international standards. The university is dedicated to creating value through knowledge, new insights, and collaboration, playing a crucial role in bridging Denmark with the global academic community.

Aarhus University is organized into five faculties: The Faculty of Arts, Aarhus BSS (Business and Social Sciences), The Faculty of Health, The Faculty of Natural Sciences, and The Faculty of Technical Sciences. This structure supports a broad range of academic disciplines, encouraging interdisciplinary collaboration and innovation.

The university has a strong tradition of multidisciplinary research, demonstrated by its 42 large research centers. These centers facilitate pioneering research and innovation and foster collaboration among scholars from various fields. Aarhus University also plays a central role in Danish public sector with its science-based input for policy within environment and agriculture for ministries and agencies supporting evidence-informed policy development and implementation.

In summary, Aarhus University excels in providing a dynamic academic environment that supports mission-driven research across all TRL levels, fostering global connectivity and innovation. The university’s strong tradition of multidisciplinary collaboration and its central role in Danish policymaking and implementation demonstrate its commitment to societal impact and secures a strong global position for Aarhus University.
With 18 specialised research institutes at nine locations, the JKI works in the full spectrum of plant science: genetic diversity, breeding research, plant protection, plant health, bee protection, forest protection, crop production, soil and agroecosystems. Our mission is to develop resource-conserving, economically viable, and socially acceptable crop production systems in the face of climate change. JKI employs more than 1,300 staff, including around 800 permanent and about 500 third-party funded employees.

As a leading research institution, JKI drives scientific innovation to secure sustainable and climate-adapted production of healthy, high-quality crops in a sufficient quantity. Beyond conducting cutting-edge research and providing evidence-based policy advice, JKI supports and shapes the transformation processes essential for future-proof agriculture. By establishing the scientific foundations for breeding crop varieties adapted to diverse environmental conditions, by developing resilient cropping systems and by integrating insights from monitoring programs and impact studies on agricultural substances and production practices we set new standards for safeguarding the integrity and resilience of agricultural ecosystems.

JKI unites scientific expertise across the whole plant production chain, following the guiding principle Yield = Genotype x Environment x Management (Y = G x E x M) and provides scientific advice to the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Regional Identity.
The French National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food, and Environment (INRAE) is a major player globally in research and innovation on agriculture, food and the environment. The institute brings together a community of over 10,000 people, including 8,000 permanent staff and more than 2,500 project-funded contractors each year, working across more than 270 research, service, and experimental units located in 18 centres throughout France.

Internationally, INRAE is among the top research organisations in the agricultural and food sciences, plant and animal sciences, as well as in ecology and environmental science. INRAE’s goal is to be a key player in providing the knowledge base supporting the necessary acceleration of agricultural, food and environmental transitions, to address the major global challenges.

Faced with a growing world population, climate change, the depletion of resources and declining biodiversity, the institute plays a major role in building sustainable solutions with its research and development partners, helping farmers and all actors in the food and forestry sectors to succeed in these transitions.

As a leading research institution, JKI drives scientific innovation to secure sustainable and climate-adapted production of healthy, high-quality crops in a sufficient quantity. Beyond conducting cutting-edge research and providing evidence-based policy advice, JKI supports and shapes the transformation processes essential for future-proof agriculture. By establishing the scientific foundations for breeding crop varieties adapted to diverse environmental conditions, by developing resilient cropping systems and by integrating insights from monitoring programs and impact studies on agricultural substances and production practices we set new standards for safeguarding the integrity and resilience of agricultural ecosystems.

JKI unites scientific expertise across the whole plant production chain, following the guiding principle Yield = Genotype x Environment x Management (Y = G x E x M) and provides scientific advice to the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Regional Identity.
The aim of the CSIC is the promotion, coordination, development, and dissemination of multidisciplinary scientific and technological research to contribute to the advancement of knowledge and to economic, social, and cultural development, as well as the training of professionals and the provision of advice to public and private entities in these areas. It counts with more than 16,000 employees, of whom 5,183 are research staff, distributed in 121 research institutes, of which 52 are co-owned with Spanish universities or research institutions. Additionally, it has three National Reference Centres (INIA, IGME, and IEO). They are all based in Spain, except the Spanish School of History and Archaeology which is established in Rome (Italy).

CSIC carries out research, innovation and training activities in all fields of knowledge from the most basic or fundamental aspects of science to the most complex technological developments distributed in three global areas: Life, Society, and Matter. These areas include human and social sciences, food science and technology, biology, biomedicine, physics, chemistry, and materials, natural resources or agricultural sciences, among others. It leads the scientific production of Spain, with an annual average of 16,000 publications in internationally renowned scientific journals, with an average of 70 % in high impact articles (Q1) As for knowledge transfer, CSIC is the top institution in Spain in patent generation, with 169 patent applications in 2024 (CSIC, Annual Report). As a public RPO, it is committed to the development of the European Research Area (ERA), especially the priorities related to research careers and mobility of researchers, gender equality, open science, and research infrastructures.

‘To explore the potential of nature to improve the quality of life’. That is the mission of Wageningen University & Research. Over 7,600 employees, 13,100 students and over 150.000 participants to WUR’s Lifelong Learning from more than hundred countries work everywhere around the world in the domain of healthy food and living environment for governments and the business community-at-large.

The strength of Wageningen University & Research lies in its ability to join the forces of specialised research institutes and the university. It also lies in the combined efforts of the various fields of natural and social sciences. This union of expertise leads to scientific breakthroughs that can quickly be put into practice and be incorporated into education. This is the Wageningen Approach. Collaboration with other parties such as government, business and NGOs is indispensable. This is in line with the Finding Answers Together ambition.

The domain of Wageningen University & Research consists of three related core areas:

  • Food, feed & biobased production.
  • Natural resources & living environment.
  • Society & well-being.

The Warsaw University of Life Sciences is the oldest agricultural and natural science university in Poland, its origins dating back to 1816. The school is a thriving academic center, receiving recognition and unflagging interest among young people and teaching staff in Poland and abroad, valued for its care for the quality of education, faithfulness to the best university traditions, openness to change, and dynamic development.

The university offers 41 fields of study (including 13 taught in English): from natural science and technology to veterinary medicine, social and economic studies. There are nearly 16,000 students in full-time, part-time, doctoral, and post-graduate study courses as well as under international student exchange.

Modern research centres and laboratories at our disposal, as well as the presence of outstanding experts, allow us to educate and conduct world-class research and transfer results to the economy, which has an impact on innovation and progress in, inter alia, agriculture, food economy and medicine, and contributes to the growing importance of Polish science in the world.

Our head office is located in the district of Ursynów, Warsaw, but we also have out-of-town centres which allow for doing research, experimental work, internships and field exercises. Additionally, we have picturesquely situated leisure centres that are excellent places to organize conferences, scientific and creative meetings, and recreation for our employees and students.