The Institute of Research for Development has been present in Côte d'Ivoire since 1946. It is a major player in scientific research throughout Côte d'Ivoire, to meet the research needs of all components of Ivorian society, through its 24 National Research Programmes.

The IRD is a French public institution under the dual supervision of the ministries of Higher Education, Research and Innovation and of Europe and Foreign Affairs. It promotes an original approach to research, expertise, training and knowledge sharing for the benefit of territories and countries that make science and innovation one of the first levers of their development.

The Biodiversity theme brings together experts from the major fields of life and environmental sciences and sub-fields of agronomy, ecology and the environment. Scientific communities work on all biomes, terrestrial and aquatic, natural and anthropized, constituting the continental ecosystems of the Mediterranean and tropical regions.