Call for Abstracts 3rd International Symposium on Work in Agriculture 2026

Work in the agri-food sector is an increasingly complex topic. There are many intersecting challenges, such as ageing of the workforce, digitalisation, migration, impacts from a changing climate and integration of supply chains. The people working in the agri-food sector play a critical role in adapting and transforming work in the face of these challenges. Advancing the research agenda in this context is essential for informing responsible policy and practice relating to work in the agri-food sector.

The International Symposium on Work in Agriculture (ISWA) is the only global forum that brings together researchers, policymakers and practitioners to address questions of work in the agri-food sector. Together with the Committee of Labour Science in Agriculture of the Max Eyth-Society for Agricultural Engineering (Fachausschuss für Arbeitswissenschaften im Landbau der Max-Eyth-Gesellschaft für Agrartechnik im Verein Deutscher Ingenieure – AKAL) and the annual event of the Hugo P. Cecchini Institute at Berne University of Applied Sciences, ISWA 2026 will provide a forum to present and discuss research on challenges of work in the agri-food sector from diverse disciplinary perspectives. It aims to facilitate exchange and collaboration between the different stakeholders to tackle challenges related to work that the agri-food sector is facing currently and in the future.

The symposium covers the following themes:

• Attractiveness of work in the agri-food sector
• Decent work in the agri-food sector
• Knowledge, skills and education
• Dynamics of work
• Health and safety
• Agricultural workforce development systems

Abstract submission is now open until 11 January 2026. Decisions on acceptance will be communicated by 15 February 2026. Accepted abstracts will be published in a book of abstracts.