Master Research Unit Agroecology and Food Systems for the MSc Environment and Natural Resources

The food system is facing enormous challenges. Inequalities, environmental degradation, scarcity and overabundance characterise the conventional system. Alternative forms of food production and distribution as well as changes in eating habits are urgently needed. In the Agroecology and Food Systems specialisation, you will come to know different approaches to sustainable food production and nutrition. The focus is on approaches from agroecology, regional value chains and fair trade relationships. The close interactions between humans and the environment are an integral part of the course. With the research groups of the ZHAW, and thanks to the collaboration with the Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL), you have a wide range of specialisation options to choose from.

Competencies

As a Master of Science ZHAW in Environment and Natural Resources specialising in Agroecology and Food Systems...

• you know the economic, social and political relationships that influence the global and Swiss food systems.
• you develop alternative concepts for sustainable agriculture based on agroecological principles.
• you identify sustainability conflicts within the food value chain and design solutions regarding sustainable production methods and supply chains.
• you devise innovative strategies to promote sustainable nutrition.

Course content

In this specialisation, you will get to know different approaches for sustainable food production and nutrition. The focus is on approaches to agroecology, regional value chains and fair trade relationships.

You will consider the following questions throughout the course:

• What potential does the production and marketing of new crops like quinoa have in Switzerland?
• What new approaches exist as an alternative to today's agriculture and what are the risks?
• How can agriculture in mountain areas and in cities, keyword urban agriculture, contribute to sustainable development?
• How can the sustainability of food be assessed, for example with life cycle assessments?
• How can consumers be motivated to make more sustainable consumption decisions?

We were also concerned with these questions during the international summer school on the subject of agrobiodiversity:

Masterstudio and Research Group

A central aspect of your master's program is specialisation in the subject area of a research group. This masterstuido, consisting of project work and master's thesis, makes up half of your program and provides in-depth insights into project and research work. This allows you to build a network during your studies and enables you to tackle complex issues independently in your future professional career. 

The research groups are divided into three thematic areas.