Agricultural Economics
The major Agricultural Economics is focused on understanding the interactions between policies and production and risk management decisions.
The major Agricultural Economics deals with decisions made by farmers, actors in the agri-food sector (such as up- and downstream companies), and consumers. Students learn and apply latest concepts from economics and policy evaluation. A strong focus is put on learning and applying quantitative methods including econometrics, mathematical optimization, and simulation models. This knowledge is key to contribute to the development of resilient and sustainable agricultural and food systems worldwide.
- Major Agricultural Economics (40 CP)
The major defines the specific subject and is divided into a disciplinary and methodological competence field. The specialised knowledge is summarised in the disciplinary competence field (DK) and the analytical-quantitative education and communication & presentation skills in the methodological competence field (MK).
- DK: Resource Economics and Agricultural Policy (≥ 6 CP)
- DK: Decision Making and Management (≥ 6 CP)
- DK: Development and International Policy (≥ 6 CP)
- MK: Methods in Agricultural Economics (≥ 12 CP)
- MK: Project Management and Communication (≥ 3 CP)
- 1st Minor (10 CP)
The minor consists of courses within or outside the selected major. The 11 minors available range from thematic foci on agricultural economics and policy, to plant, soil or animal sciences.
- Electives or 2nd Minor (10 CP)
Students can choose a second minor or electives.
- Internship (30 CP)
- Master thesis (30 CP)
- Researcher at universities or research institutes
- Manager in up- and downstream agricultural industry
- Employment in federal or cantonal administration
- Position in interest groups, producer organizations and local branches or NGO's
- Employment in the agricultural insurance industry
- Lecturer at a vocational college or university of applied science
- The economics and policy of variable rate technologies for sustainable weed management in Swiss wheat production
This thesis develops a simulation framework that allows to determine the value of sensing technologies, e.g., satellite or drones, to increase nitrogen efficiency in intensive Swiss wheat production i.e., how farms can save nitrogen while maintaining food production levels.
- Improving weather index-based drought insurance for winter wheat
This thesis developed a new drought insurance for agriculture. It compared individually designed weather index-based insurance contracts based on four evapotranspiration-based indices for winter wheat production using farm-level data on yields, weather, and phenology.
- Biodiversity Indicators to Improve Agri-environmental Policies - A Systematic Literature Review
This thesis systematically reviewed proposed biodiversity indicators for result-based agri-environmental schemes and synthesize indicators currently used in such result-based schemes. The thesis shows the various options to design biodiversity indicators exist for policymakers.
Elmiger N, Finger R, Ghazoul J, Schaub S: Biodiversity indicators for result-based agri-environmental schemes – Current state and future prospects, Agricultural Systems, Volume 204, doi: external page10.1016/j.agsy.2022.103538
Contact
General information: Emma Lindberg
Specific content related information: Robert Huber
Further details: DownloadMajor in Agricultural Economics (PDF, 569 KB)