Supervisor: Saskia Osterkamp / Prof. Dr. Arndt Feuerbacher

Are you interested in contributing to cutting-edge research on biodiversity-friendly agricultural and food systems? As part of the BEATLE project (https://www.projekt-beatle.de/), we offer an exciting Master’s thesis opportunity that makes a meaningful contribution to socio-ecological research.

The loss of biodiversity is one of the most pressing challenges for agriculture, requiring innovative solutions for sustainable land use. Multi-criteria analysis provides a framework to integrate ecological, economic, and social perspectives into decision-making processes, making trade-offs more transparent.

The thesis will conduct an in-depth literature review, laying the theoretical groundwork for applying multi-criteria analysis (MCA) in evaluating biodiversity-friendly measures. The focus areas include:

1. Established and novel approaches to multi-criteria model evaluation and their practical relevance.
2. Best practices for transparent and inclusive co-evaluation processes with stakeholders.
3. Methods to quantify trade-offs and synergies between biodiversity conservation and other objectives.

This thesis contributes to a key milestone within the BEATLE project and offers the chance to shape research with real-world impact.

We seek motivated students in agricultural, environmental, or social sciences with a strong interest in inter- and transdisciplinary research, biodiversity, and sustainable agricultural systems.

Skills needed: Sound analytical skills, knowledge of conducting literature searches with SCOPUS etc.. Familiarity with qualitative (e.g. MAXQDA) or quantitative (e.g. “bibliometrix” package in R) tools is an advantage.

The thesis can be written in German or English language (please take your own examination regulations into account)
Interested? Contact saskia.osterkamp@uni-hohenheim.de for more details and apply now.

Supervisor: Jun.-Prof. Arndt Feuerbacher / Hannah Bücheler

Der kontinuierliche Rückgang der biologischen Vielfalt in den europäischen Agrar-landschaften erfordert tiefgreifende Veränderungen im Agrar- und Lebensmittelsystem, um den anhaltenden Verlust aufzuhalten und umzukehren (z.B. Mupepele et al. 2021). Neben Reformprozessen und Anpassungen in der Agrarpolitik, spielen in Deutschland auch nicht-staatliche Initiativen des Privatsektors eine Rolle in den Veränderungsprozessen (z.B. Blühpatenschaften, Crowdfunding für insektenschonendes Mähwerk etc.). Ziel dieser Arbeit ist die systematische Aufarbeitung der (wissenschaftlichen und grauen) Literatur zum nicht-staatlichen, privatwirtschaftlichen Engagement im Biodiversitätsschutz. Ziel ist es, nicht-staatliche Maßnahmen, Initiativen, Projekte und Instrumente in Deutschland zu erfassen und zu analysieren. Der methodische Ansatz zur Auswertung der identifizierten Literatur kann sowohl qualitative als auch quantitative Methoden umfassen. Darüber hinaus kann die Arbeit eine Umfrage oder Interviews zur Verifizierung der identifizierten Literatur beinhalten.

Erforderliche Kompetenzen: Fundierte analytische Fähigkeiten, Kenntnisse in der Durchführung von systematischen Literaturrecherchen, ausreichende Deutschkenntnisse für die Analyse deutschsprachiger Literatur, Affinität zu agrarökonomischen Perspektiven; Vertrautheit mit qualitativen (z.B. MAXQDA) oder quantitativen (z.B. "bibliometrix“ Paket in R) Werkzeugen ist ein Vorteil.

Die Thesis kann in deutscher oder englischer Sprache verfasst werden (bitte die eigene Prüfungsordnung berücksichtigen).

Supervisor: Jun.-Prof. Arndt Feuerbacher / Falk Krumbe

Human-wildlife conflicts are becoming an increasing challenge given the expansion of agricultural land and human population. Achieving coexistence between humanity and wildlife is imperative to stop and revert the globally observed decline in biodiversity.
This thesis aims to systematically review of the literature on human-wildlife conflict analyzing the impacts on food security and possible solutions to HWC. In addition, the thesis may include a bibliometric analysis of the identified body of literature. While HWCs are a global phenomenon, depended on the depth of literature, the thesis may focus on HWCs in the Global South.

Skills needed: Sound knowledge in conducting systematic literature reviews; Usage of “bibliometrix” package in R

Supervisor: Jun.-Prof. Arndt Feuerbacher / Saskia Osterkamp

Background: An increasing share of agricultural land is converted to be used for the construction of ground-mounted photovoltaic (PV) systems. This area is lost for agricultural production, but these systems may allow for synergies with biodiversity by providing an area for extensive grassland and spontaneous vegetation. A substantial share of the solar industry has obliged itself to comply with a “biodiversity-friendly” standard, which makes certain provisions to promote biodiversity in the PV area. The objective of this thesis is to assess to what degree these standards have been complied with and to what degree they could become a standard in official renewable energy regulations.

Skills needed: Sound knowledge in spatial analysis using ArcGIS/QGIS/R; Medium German language skills (since many relevant documents are only published in German)

Supervisor: Jun.-Prof. Arndt Feuerbacher

Using agricultural trade and production data, this thesis uses an existing model approach to study the value of pollination services in agricultural trade. The student shall implement the model approach in GAMS (or R/Phyton) and replicate the existing model results, as well extend the analysis with additional scenarios of possible changes in pollinator populations.

Skills needed: Sound understanding of basic microeconomic theory and sectoral changes in a partial-equilibrium model; Skills in using either GAMS, R, Phyton

Supervisor: Jun.-Prof. Arndt Feuerbacher / Sara Graf

Agrarian change creates winners and losers – modelling can help us understand which groups benefit, which groups lose and by how much. A village economy typically includes different kinds of households that are part of groups with competing interests, like landlords and tenants, workers and employers, or lenders and borrowers. Between such groups land, labor and capital are often exchanged through class relations - arrangements where asymmetric economic power allows one party to obtain an economic advantage at the expense of the latter.

The Master Thesis will draw on field data from Nigeria. In a village case study, economic relations between men and women of the above groups were documented. The Master student will use these data to construct a Social Accounting Matrix of the village, and in a second step, he or she will model the impact of an economic shock on these groups. Which group can gain the most?

Skills needed: Knowledge in policy modeling (as taught in the Advanced Policy Analysis Modelling course); Intermediate knowledge in using GAMS

Supervisor: Jun.-Prof. Arndt Feuerbacher / Dr. Joachim Herbold

In many countries crop insurance has been for decades a suitable instrument to cover crop production against natural hazards. Nowadays crop insurance is increasingly seen as an option for climate change adaptation of farms.

In an attempt to substitute ad hoc payments to farmers who have suffered crop losses due to natural hazards, the Bavarian government has introduced a subsidized crop insurance program for fruits and winegrapes in 2021. This program will be extended to other crop types in 2023. The program is financed through the second pillar of the EU.

The master thesis aims:

• To analyse the Bavarian crop insurance program in respect of its benefits to farmers and the state
• To compare it with already established crop insurance schemes, e.g. in the USA, Spain, Canada, Austria.

Skills needed: Sound analytical capabilities, medium German language skills (and because some literature is only available in German and because expert interviews with German stakeholders might be beneficial).

Supervisor: Jun.-Prof. Arndt Feuerbacher / Dr. Joachim Herbold

Organic farming is nowadays a widespread and economically successful production system – on national but also international levels. Organic farming can have stabilizing effects on the production system thus reducing production risks. However, there are also risk-increasing effects, e.g. as a consequence of limited input options.

The master thesis aims to address some of the following research questions:

• How do the characteristics and specific methods of organic farming impact the production risk?
• What are risk-increasing and what are risk-decreasing factors?
• How can farmers mitigate increasing production risks?
• Where are the research gaps?

The scope of the study might be reduced to the context of a specific country or supranational federation.

Skills needed: Sound analytical capabilities, knowledge in conducting systematic literature reviews;
usage of “bibliometrix” package in R (optional).