The Institut de Recherche pour le Développement is a French public science and technology research institute under the joint authority of the French ministries in charge of research and overseas development.

The IRD has three main missions: research, consultancy and training.
It conducts scientific programs contributing to the sustainable development of the countries of the South, with an emphasis on the relationship between man and the environment.

Programmes

The IRD's scientific activities are organised through five departments :

Earth and Environment
Living Resources
Societies and Health
Expertise and consulting
Support and training

Research capacity in France and abroad

The IRD conducts research in Africa, the Indian Ocean, Latin America, Asia and the Pacific. It has 35 facilities in all: five in mainland France (Paris, Bondy, Montpellier, Brest and Orléans), five in the French overseas territories (French Guyana, New Caledonia, French Polynesia, Martinique, La Réunion) and 25 in other countries, mainly in the intertropical zone.

Cooperative research

IRD research is conducted in liaison with French higher education and research institutions and with partners in the South. 36 % of the Institute’s staff work overseas, 600 of its technical staff are from the countries of the South, and foreign researchers are directly involved in its research programs.

The IRD is an active participant in numerous operations supported by the European Union and takes part in many international scientific programs.