MSc Agroecology - Organic Agriculture

The MSc Agroecology - Resilient Farming and Food Systems is jointly offered by ISARA (France) and Wageningen University (The Netherlands). It is aimed at international students with a strong interest in sustainable agriculture and agroecosystem management.

Students will get the opportunity to understand structure and function of complex agroecosystems. They will learn to apply systems approaches in studying, designing and evaluating (agricultural) systems and food production chains, and to develop creative solutions for sustainable farming and marketing of organic products. The program teaches a multidisciplinary approach in which natural science is combined with social science and economics.

Action learning and action research through cooperation with farmers, food system professionals and consumers will shorten the distance between practice and theory. The Double Degree Program Agroecology - Resilient Farming and Food Systems is designed as a two-year program curriculum including a practical thesis project. The program combines 4 semesters with semester 1 and 2 in Wageningen, the Netherlands, and semester 3 at ISARA (member of France Agro 3) in Lyon, France. The master thesis (semester 4) will be carried out under the major responsibility of one of two partners and will be co-supervised by the other partner.

Associated institutions

Wageningen University and Research - Netherlands

ISARA is a French "grande école" specialized in agriculture, food and environmental science. It is recognized by the French Ministry of Agriculture. ISARA offers a wide range of Bachelor and Master level curricula in agronomy, food and environmental science. We also develop research activities and consultancy services, mainly in two fields:

• Agroecology
• Sustainable food systems

Our mission:

• Educate the future managers with a high level of scientific knowledge and ethical responsibility, who are able to anticipate and support the societal changes to meet the national and international challenges in food, agriculture, and environment.
• Develop international excellence in Agroecology and Sustainable food systems
• Participate in a development beneficial to most of the population, support project development and innovation, develop scientific and technical knowledge.
• Participate in the public debate, and support the emergence of new ideas pertaining to science and society, economics and politics.

ISARA offers several study programmes, among which:

• ISARA Engineering Degree can be followed as a full-time student or apprentice after successful completion of secondary education, and can also be undertaken via continuing education or, for those without entry-requirement qualifications, through validation of prior work experience.
• European MSc (CGE) in Agroecology coordinated in conjunction with the Norwegian University of Life Sciences (Norway) and in partnership with other European and American universities.
• MSc (CGE) in Agroecology and Organic Agriculture with Wageningen University (The Netherlands).
• European MSc Sustainable Food Systems in partnership with several European universities.

Professional environment and students’ employability:

ISARA is established in Lyon and in Avignon, in a very dynamic environment close to companies, research centers and professionals working in agriculture, food industry, rural development and environment sectors. It is situated on the AGRAPOLE site, a cluster of excellence specialized in agriculture and food, which includes over 50 professional organizations of these sectors.