The Institute
With the Institute for Rural Development Research and the IfLS Beratung und Projekte GmbH, we address current issues of sustainable development in rural areas with different priorities in the following topics:
Agricultural policy and rural development
Socio-economics of farm business
Sustainable land use
Regional development
Protected areas and cultural landscapes
Bioeconomy and circular economy
Climate protection and climate adaptation
Sustainability and resilience
Knowledge and innovation
International cooperation
On these topics, we provide specific services in the following areas:
Research and development
Evaluation
Consulting
Concept and strategy development
Information, knowledge transfer and education
Participation processes, Moderation and Event management
Across both organisations, our interdisciplinary team consists of 13 qualified and committed scientists with a wide range of academic backgrounds and practical experience in the fields of agricultural and political science, economics, sociology, anthropology, ecology, geography, environmental protection and spatial development, tourism and marketing.
Our organisations
The Institute for Rural Development Research was founded in 1957 as a non-profit organisation. Its statutory purpose is to promote science and research in the field of sustainable spatial development and its design through relevant policies, in particular agricultural and food policy, as well as structural, regional and environmental policy.
In line with the purpose of the statutes, we carry out research projects and provide scientific opinions, the results of which we publish. We also organise scientific events, seminars and various information, knowledge transfer and awareness-raising activities. We work together with national and international associations and cooperate with the Goethe University Frankfurt am Main.
In addition to research projects based on grants, consultancy assignments, contract research and related services have come to account for an increasing share of the institute's work over time. As a result of this development, the Institute for Rural Development Research e.V. founded the IfLS Beratung und Projekte GmbH on 10 December 2021 as a wholly-owned subsidiary to outsource parts of its economic activity. The purpose of IfLS Beratung und Projekte GmbH is to carry out research, consultancy and other services in the above-mentioned subject areas.
The work of both organisations under the ‘IfLS umbrella’ is organised by three departments:
1. rural development, agriculture and the environment
2. international perspectives, agricultural policy and rural development
3. regional development, innovation consultancy and protected areas
We are available at our head office in Frankfurt, and additionally at our two branch offices in Bonn and Freiburg.
Information on staff members of the two organisations can be found here:
Find out here what our mission statement – ‘Committed research and active consultancy for sustainable development’ – means for our external as well as internal processes:
Our gender equality plan can also be found there.