The Department's Profile

Research Domains

Our research activities mainly focus on the analysis of policies affecting the critical triangle of agricultural and rural development.

Through our research and teaching activities, we seek to contribute to an improved understanding of the trade-offs between and synergies among the three objectives equity, economic growth, and environmental sustainability.

A few segments highlight cross-cutting methods, such as econometric impact analysis as well as spatial and sectoral modelling.

The research program has a strong focus on empirical studies with primary data collection at the household, community and institutional level in developing and transformation countries.

With our research and teaching activities, we aim to establish an improved understanding of the synergies and the conflicts between the three objectives Equity, Economic Growth and Sustainability.

Research domain "Equity"

Those research areas in the field of Rural Development Theory and Policy that focus primarily on equity issues are shown at the top of the figure. They are:

  • Food and social security
  • Poverty and gender analysis
  • Rural development and migration

Research domain "Economic growth"

Research areas that focus primarily on issues and policies related to enhancing economic growth in the agricultural sector and in rural areas are represented by segments in the lower left of the figure. These fields of research are:

  • Land markets
  • Microfinance
  • Agricultural research and technology adoption

Research domain "Environmental sustainability"

The segments in the lower right of the figure show the related fields of research that particularly address issues related to environmental sustainability, such as:

  • Environmental change
  • Bioenergy