733106 Bachelor's thesis seminar - agricultural and food economy

Type
Seminar
Semester hours
4
Lecturer (assistant)
Organisation
Offered in
Wintersemester 2022/23
Languages of instruction
Deutsch
Content

The agricultural and food economy is undergoing constant change, resulting in numerous challenges for farms.

Firstly, farms, often when handing over the farm, face very principal questions like for example:
- What are the economic implications of introducing new production alternatives or enlarge existing branches of production?
- How economically viable is farming compared to working in a non-farming job?

Secondly, especially due to the European Green Deal, the environmental dimension of farming is moving more and more into the focus of public interest (e.g. with respect to biodiversity, animal welfare or greenhouse gases). In this area, farms also have to deal with economic questions like for example:
- How economically viable is a transition to organic agriculture?
- What costs are associated with e.g. creating more green infrastructure like flower strips or hedges on farmland, introducing protection measures for cattle on (alpine) pastures due to predators.

Additionally, new innovative forms of agriculture are developing, often with a stronger involvement of consumers (e.g. market gardening or community supported agriculture). It is also essential to know how such concepts perform from an economic point of view.

The Seminar provides the students the space to answer such basic economic questions empirically. For this, participating students propose individual case studies and work on their topics in small groups.

Entrepreneurial decisions should not be based on “a hunch”, but should, besides other relevant aspects, consider particularly well-founded economic analyses.
Previous knowledge expected

As in the course of the bachelor seminar theoretical knowledge of farm business management is applied empirically, we expect basic knowledge in farm business management.
Objective (expected results of study and acquired competences)

Students have the capability to work out a project-concept and to choose appropriate methods for their analysis.
Moreover students are able to carry out a project, based on their previously aquired theoretical and practical economic knowledge, within a limited time frame.
Last but not least students are able to present and critically discuss their results and to work together in small groups.
You can find more details like the schedule or information about exams on the course-page in BOKUonline.