In order to look to the future, we must understand our past – the evolution of populations, species and communities. Modern life has been formed by human-imposed selection pressures and artificial environments marked by dramatic changes in landscapes and by tensions in governance systems.

Harlan IV is a multidisciplinary symposium looking at the agricultural trajectories of past and contemporaneous societies, the diversity and adaptive potential of genetic resources and their management, including their management, in a complex and global world.

Harlan IV will explore major advances in the evolution, conservation and use of genetic resources. It will maintain the originality of the Harlan symposium series by emphasizing the multidisciplinary aspects of the science (from archaeology to genetics and agroecology), the variety of biological models (plants, animals, microorganisms) and the broad temporal scale (from the origin of agriculture to the current problems of use of agricultural biodiversity).

On behalf of Conference Chair, Professor Robert Henry, a Professor of Innovation at the University of Queensland, we look forward to meeting you in Brisbane, Australia.