First Call For Papers (not abstracts) – AEASA 2026 Conference

CONFERENCE OVERVIEW

The 2025 Annual Conference of the Agricultural Economics Association of South Africa (AEASA) will be hosted by the Gauteng Province from the 28^th  September to 1^st  October 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:

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

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:

• 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 rigor 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

A special call for Best Master’s and PhD Thesis submissions will be announced in the second call.

Abstract Requirements

• Length: 250-300 words
• Include:
  • Title
  • Author(s)
  • Institutional affiliation(s)
  • Email address of corresponding author
  • Selected conference theme

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.

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	TBA
Conference Dates	28 September – 1 October 2026

CONTRIBUTED PAPERS

Preparation of the text

1. The manuscript (English) should be submitted electronically to the Programs Committee through the microsite (the link for submissions will be shared during the release of the second call on the AEASA conference website).
2. The manuscript should include an abstract at the beginning of not more than 250-300 words.
3. The text should be presented in Times New Roman, 12 pt., 1.5 Line spacing in Microsoft Word with 0-17cm alignment on A4 paper size.
4. The title page should include the title, the name(s) of the author(s), email of author(s) and their affiliation(s).
5. Articles should not be longer than 6500 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.

SYMPOSIA AND BEST MASTERS AND PHDs CALLS

TO BE RELEASED

REGISTRATION

TO BE ANNOUNCED

ACCOMMODATION

Available options will be announced communicated in due course.

CONTACT INFORMATION

For inquiries regarding general queries and paper submissions, please contact the Conference Secretariat:

Dr MA Nkoana, Fr LJ Ledwaba, Mr K.T Baloyi and Ms LV Malebati

Email: andrias.nkoana@ul.ac.za  and  cc: lerato.malebati@ul.ac.za ; kegaugetswebaloyi@gmail.com  ; Lesetja.ledwaba@ul.ac.za

Website: https://www.aeasa.org.za/