CONFERENCE OVERVIEW

The 2026 Annual Conference of the Agricultural Economics Association of South Africa (AEASA) will be hosted by the Limpopo Province from the 29^th  September to 1^st October (Full-day) 2026 at Legend Golf & Safari Resort Mokopane, Limpopo Province, South Africa. The theme of this year’s Conference is “GEOPOLITICS IN AGRICULTURE: Striking a Balance Between Policy, Markets, Food Security and Shared Prosperity “

The Agricultural Economics Association of South Africa (AEASA) cordially invites researchers, academics, policymakers, postgraduate students, practitioners, and development partners to submit original research papers for the 63^rd AEASA Conference 2026.

This premier annual gathering of agricultural economists provides a platform for rigorous academic exchange, policy dialogue, and interdisciplinary engagement on issues shaping agricultural and food systems in South Africa, the African continent and globally.

The 2026 AEASA conference focuses on the growing geopolitical forces reshaping agriculture, trade, technology, climate governance and food systems. As global trade tensions, input market dependencies, climate volatility, technological disruption and macroeconomic instability intensify, agricultural systems are increasingly influenced by forces beyond national borders.

The conference seeks to examine how African agricultural systems can balance:

• Policy sovereignty and regional integration
• Market competitiveness and food security
• Innovation and equity
• Environmental sustainability and productivity
• Shared prosperity and structural transformation

ABOUT THE CONFERENCE THEME & SUB-THEMES

Conference Theme: GEOPOLITICS IN AGRICULTURE: Striking a Balance Between Policy, Markets, Food Security and Shared Prosperity

About the Theme

Agricultural and food systems are no longer shaped solely by domestic policy choices. Instead, they are increasingly influenced by geopolitical fragmentation, climate negotiations, global supply chain vulnerabilities, technological concentration, and shifting global power dynamics. Strategic dependencies in fertiliser, seed and energy markets; trade realignments; carbon markets; digital platform dominance; and macroeconomic instability all influence food security outcomes and agricultural development trajectories. The 63rd AEASA Conference aims to interrogate these dynamics and provide evidence-based insights into how agricultural systems can build resilience, ensure equity, and promote inclusive prosperity in an uncertain global environment.

CONFERENCE SUB-THEMES

Authors are invited to submit papers under one of the four broad conference sub-themes below.

1. Governance, Policy and Political Economy of Food Systems

This theme explores institutional, political and macroeconomic foundations shaping food systems.

Topics include (but are not limited to):

• Agricultural policy, sovereignty and regional food diplomacy
• Trade, food security and protection of vulnerable groups
• Food systems governance and multi-level coordination
• Geopolitics of input markets (fertiliser, seeds, strategic commodities)
• Political economy of agricultural subsidies and public expenditure

2. Markets, Value Chains, Labour and Inclusive Rural Transformation

This theme focuses on the economic and social functioning of agricultural markets and structural transformation.

Topics include:

• Global and regional markets, value chains and inclusive local production
• Agricultural finance and rural investment
• Risk instruments and blended finance models
• Labour, migration and rural–urban dynamics
• Informal markets and urban food systems
• Agro-processing and industrial policy

3. Climate, Natural Resources and Resilient Agrarian Systems

This theme addresses environmental sustainability and resilience in agricultural systems.

Topics may include:

• Climate geopolitics and agricultural resilience
• Carbon markets and climate adaptation
• Biodiversity and conservation agriculture
• Sustainable land management
• Human–wildlife interface and ecological governance

4. Innovation, Technology, Equity and Knowledge Systems

This theme integrates technological transformation with social inclusion and institutional change.

Topics may include:

• Digital agriculture and artificial intelligence
• Data governance and digital platforms
• Innovation ecosystems and entrepreneurship
• Gender and equity in agricultural transformation
• Indigenous knowledge systems

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

Manuscript Requirements

All submissions must present original, unpublished research that makes a meaningful contribution to agricultural economics and related disciplines.

Papers should be written in English and adhere to academic standards of clarity, methodological rigour and ethical research practice.

Paper Categories

The conference accepts:

• Full Research Papers (6,000–6,500 words)
• Workshops call
• Policy-Oriented Papers
• Case Studies
• Posters

Abstract Requirements

• Length: 250–300 words
• Include:
  • Title
  • Author(s)
  • Institutional affiliation(s)
  • Email address of corresponding author
  • Selected conference theme
  • Indication of paper type (empirical, theoretical, methodological, policy-oriented)

Abstracts must clearly articulate the paper’s contribution to understanding geopolitical dimensions shaping agricultural and food systems.

Full Paper Formatting

• Times New Roman, 12 pt
• 1.5 line spacing
• Standard margins
• Agrekon template formatting
• Harvard referencing style

REVIEW PROCESS

All submissions will undergo a rigorous single- or double-blind peer review process coordinated by the AEASA Scientific Committee.

Papers will be evaluated based on:

• Originality
• Methodological quality
• Relevance to conference themes
• Policy and academic contribution
• Clarity and coherence

Authors will receive formal notification of acceptance or rejection.

IMPORTANT DATES

Event	Date
1st Call for Papers	27 February 2026
2nd Call for Papers	15 April 2026
Early Bird Registration Starts	01 July 2026
Call for any published papers related to the theme in any other accredited journal except Agrekon.Submissions of mini symposium topics	15 May 2026
Paper Submissions Open	01 April 2026
Invited Panels and Requests for Organised Symposia Open	30 April 2026
Deadline for submission of Full Papers, Invited Panels and Organised Symposium	15 June 2026
Notification of Paper, Invited Panel and Organised Symposia Acceptance	30 July 2026
Early Bird Registration Deadline	01 August 2026
Regular Registration Deadline	15 August 2026
Online Registration Closes	6 September 2026
Final Conference Program Released	To Be Announced
Conference Dates	29 September – 1 October 2026

CONTRIBUTED PAPERS

Contributed papers  

Contributed papers will be selected for oral presentation at the Conference based on the results of a blind review process.  The top three scoring contributed papers, based on the results of the blind review process, will be “upgraded” and presented in a plenary session of the conference.  The “upgraded” papers will be considered for the AEASA BEST CONTRIBUTED PAPER AWARD.  Other contributed papers accepted for oral presentation will be presented in parallel sessions.  Contributed papers not accepted for oral presentations will be considered for presentation as poster papers; however, such posters will not be eligible for AEASA’s Best Poster Paper Competition.   

 

Preparation of the text

1. The manuscript (English) should be submitted electronically to the Programs Committee through the microsite (the link will be shared in due course on AEASA conference website).
2. The manuscript should include an abstract at the beginning of not more than 250 words.
3. The text should be presented in Times New Roman, 12 pt., 1.5 Line spacing in Microsoft Word with 2.54 cm margins on A4 paper size.
4. The title page should include the title, the name(s) of the author(s) and their affiliation(s).
5. Articles should not be longer than 7500 words.

References

1. The Harvard Style of referencing should be used in the form name(s) of the author(s), year of publication referred to in the text, e.g. (Author, 1994).
2. The references should be alphabetically and then chronological order in the References at the end of the contribution.
3. Footnotes and endnotes should be kept to a minimum. Endnotes are located ahead of the references.

Tables

A title, numbered consecutively, should be provided for each table, in bold above the Table, and all tables should be referred to in the text.

Figures

1. Figures should be numbered consecutively and referred to in the text.
2. Figure captions should be in bold below the Figure.
3. Drawings should be completely lettered, with the size of the lettering appropriate to that of the drawings, considering the possible need for a reduction in size (preferably not more than 50 per cent). The width of lines should also be considered in this regard.

Poster papers

Poster papers are encouraged by AEASA as an effective means of presenting information.  In particular, posters are an ideal means to present exciting preliminary research findings as well as “Practical Success Stories”, in which authors are encouraged to share examples of ideas and innovations that have resulted in positive, practical outcomes in the workplace.  Poster papers’ abstracts will go through a blind review process to determine suitability for presentation at the Conference.  Poster papers accepted for presentation at the Conference will be presented in a Poster Session.  All eligible poster papers presented at the Conference will be considered for the AEASA BEST POSTER PAPER AWARD.  

1. SUBMISSION:
   1. Abstracts of poster papers should be submitted electronically as Microsoft Word documents on or before 15 June 2026 on the link that will be shared in due course.
   1. The abstracts must be written in English and must not exceed 250 words (excluding the cover page).
   1. Each poster paper abstract must include a cover page with the name(s) of the author(s) and their affiliation(s), and contact details of the corresponding author.
   1. The word ‘Poster’ must be inserted on the cover page above the title.
   1. References, Tables and Figures must comply with Agrekon requirements.
   1. It is implicit in submitting a poster paper abstract to the AEASA Conference that;
      1. The poster has not been presented previously, and is not presently being considered for presentation elsewhere,
      1. The research described in the poster meets ethical standards applicable to the discipline of Agricultural Economics, and
      1. All authors of the poster paper have read the abstract and agreed to its submission to the AEASA Conference.
2. By submitting poster paper abstracts, the authors understand that, if their poster is accepted for presentation at the Conference, one or more of the authors will personally present the poster at the conference and that such authors are liable to pay the full conference registration fee.

Please note that poster paper abstracts submitted late (i.e., after 15 June 2026) and those that do not adhere to the above guidelines will NOT be accepted for presentation at the conference.

The corresponding authors will be notified of acceptance of their abstracts by 30^th July 2026.

• PRESENTATION:
  • Poster board space will be available for each poster accepted for presentation at the Conference.  
  • Posters should measure 1180mm by 840mm (A0 page size) with portrait orientation.
  • Note that in addition to good scientific content, for an effective display, a poster must satisfy three basic criteria: it must be attractive, well organised and self-explanatory.
  • Authors must set up their posters at the start of the conference and remove them at the end of the Conference. Double-sided mirror tape will be provided to mount posters on the poster boards.
  • The Conference programme will include a time slot for a poster presentation session, during which authors of posters must be available to answer questions about their posters.  Authors will also be required to do a short (5-minute) presentation that describes what is contained in the poster.
  • Commercial promotion is not permitted in contributed poster papers.

Disclaimer: By submitting contributed papers and or poster papers, the authors understand that, if their paper is accepted for oral presentation at the Conference, one or more of the authors will personally present the paper at the Conference and that such authors are liable to pay the full conference registration fee. By submitting contributed papers, the authors understand that they are required to serve in some capacity in the review process, including the evaluation of other papers.  If authors refuse to comply with this requirement, then their papers will be pulled from the conference.

SYMPOSIA AND AWARDS

Mini-Symposia proposals:

The Conference programme makes provision for four or more parallel mini symposia on the 30^th September 2026.  This session provides an opportunity for interested parties to facilitate discussion of pertinent themes that fall under the conference theme and have real-world relevance for practitioners and researchers.  The facilitators will propose and decode the topics, and the symposia will be flexible in content and process.   They are expected to serve as a platform for dynamic debate.  If you are interested in facilitating one of these mini symposia, please submit your proposal to (email: aeasaconfer26@ul.ac.za  ) before the 15^th of June 2026.  

Calls for the submissions of Masters Dissertations for the AEASA 2026 Best Masters Dissertation and Best Final Year Student in Agricultural Economics, respectively. The submission of the best masters’ dissertation and final year BSc AAE will be communicated to the Heads of the Department (HoDs) of the Universities by Prof GM Senyolo (TUT). The head of the departments are the only members to submit the above-mentioned information on the behalf of the supervisors or students.

BEST PUBLICATION IN A PROFESSIONAL JOURNAL OR BEST PUBLISHED BOOK, OTHER THAN AGREKON:

Invitation for submissions of Articles for the Best Publication in a Professional Journal or Best Published Book, other than Agrekon. The 2026 Annual Conference of the Agricultural Economics Association of South Africa (AEASA) will be hosted in the Limpopo Province, South Africa, from 29 September to 01 October 2026. The programme of awarding the best performers has been with the Association for a long time and is regarded as a good way to encourage members to participate in the Association’s events and contribute to the profession.

Eligibility for the Award is as follows:

• The Award shall be made to a member or members of AEASA. A member may receive the award for joint authorship in the case where the co-author(s) is/are not members.
• The award shall be made for the best publication that was formally published during the 12 months prior to the Conference.
• The award shall be announced/made at the Annual Conference Dinner of AEASA.

The adjudication of articles is to be done as objectively as possible. The Committee will act at its own discretion, but will rely on an adjudication system that includes the following:

• Significance of research: To be considered significant, the content must relate to one of the following: the economics of agriculture, environmental and natural resource economics, rural sociology, governance and public choice, and community and rural development. This includes contributions in the field of business, extension, research and teaching of agricultural and rural economics. Preference is given to articles on Southern Africa.
• Contribution to the discipline: The content should contain new developments in research and methods of analysis; apply existing methods to new situations; test new hypotheses or theories, new frameworks of analyses and application; and/or present new facts or data.
• Quality of conclusions: Conclusions should be sound and useful.
• Readability: The article must be readable and well-integrated.
• Topicality: The article should be relevant towards the issues of the day.
• Impact factor of journal: The committee shall, where possible, determine the impact factors of journals and/or books.

Following the explanation above, can you please send through the Articles for the Best Publication in a Professional Journal or Best Published Book, other than Agrekon by the 15^th May 2026, to senyologm@tut.ac.za  

REGISTRATION

Link for registration will be released as soon as it is ready.

ACCOMMODATION

Available options will be announced communicated in due course.

CONTACT INFORMATION

For inquiries regarding paper submissions, please contact the conference committee through this email: aeasaconfer26@ul.ac.za

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