During 1977-1982 Rev. James Gustafson, Director of the Center for Church Planting and Church Growth in Northeast Thailand, located in Udon Thani, together with six Thai co-workers worked to support rural churches in the area of Udon Thani and Nong Khai provinces. After they had worked in this area, they saw that the Issaan people were frequently faced with the problems of poverty and hunger due to a lack of land to produce food and a lack of knowledge of appropriate and sustainable agricultural methods. Rev. Gustafson and his co-workers all saw the need for doing development projects in the Issaan countryside in order to help people faced with these problems. They decided to register as a juristic non profit entity, and so at the end of 1982 they applied to the province of Udon Thani to establish a foundation, which they called Issaan Development Foundation. The Office of the National Culture Commission issued license number T. 7/2526 on 7 January, 1983, and on 3 August, 1983, the Ministry of Interior issued the license of registration as a juristic entity, number 2201.

Initially the main office of The Issaan Development Foundation ( IDF ) was at 164 Muu 5, Mumon Subdistrict, Meuang District, Udon Thani, Thailand. Presently the main office is located at 39 Muu 2, Meuangpia Subdistrict, Kut Chap District, Udon Thani, Thailand. The target area for the foundation’s operations is Upper Northeast Thailand.

The following are the official objectives of the Issaan Development Foundation as specified in the foundations charter.

1. To provide occupational assistance to the Issaan people (the people living in northeastern Thailand) to enable them to lead a more meaningful life.
2. To assist Issaan people in the areas of health and hygiene.
3. To assist in supporting and promoting the dissemination of sustainable agricultural technology among the Issaan people.
4. To alleviate the hardship of those in distress.
5. To promote and preserve local Issaan culture.
6. To cooperate with other charitable organizations for the benefit of the public.
7. Not to act in connection with politics in any way whatsoever.

1. Administrative Office. General management, finances, accounts, data, information.
   
   
2. Research Farms

   2.1 Integrated agriculture research farm. This farm has an area of 53 rai (8.5 hectares), and conducts the following:

   1. Experimental breeding of sex-reversed tilapia fish.
   2. Experimental raising of fish in ponds and nets.
   3. Experimental raising of livestock integrated with aquaculture.

   2.2 Fruit research farm. This farm has an area of 52 rai (8.4 hectares), and produces the following:

   1. Chokanan mango (three-season)
   2. Sweet tamarind
   3. Custard apples

   2.3 Agroforestry research farm. This farm has an area of 61 rai (9.75 hectares), and focuses on the management and production of forest products:  trees (wood), mushrooms, bamboo shoots, cardamom, rattan, etc.

   
   
   
3. Development Projects
   1. Integrated agriculture projects serve to aid poor farmers by using cooperative groups working together to provide better income and better sources of protein in their diets.
   2. Village sewing projects provide jobs for poor rural women working together in cooperative groups.
   3. Water resource projects dig and drill wells to provide water for drinking and cooking in villages that lack good water resources.
   4. The development of sustainable aquaculture systems with poor farmers in northeastem Thailand, enable the rural poor to consistently produce agriculture products in marginal contexts.