Governance and Livelihood
We research governance and livelihoods in sustainable food systems in different contexts, from the Dutch and European contexts to tropical livestock systems in for example Indonesia and Ethiopia. We explore how policy incentives, certification schemes, and value chains shape transitions towards more just and sustainable livestock farming systems
We work on farming systems governance by studying topics such as sustainability transition, polycentric governance (e.g. coherence of public and private sustainability incentives), food systems justice, and sustainable value chains. We apply a wide range of methods including interviews, focus groups, policy analysis as well as serious games and socio-economic analysis. These help us to better understand the challenges of farmers and other supply chain actors in sustainable food systems transformation.
Research topics
- Sustainability certification and standards
- Just food systems transition
- Sustainability indicators
- Sustainable value chains
Research themes
Governance and Livelihood
We research governance and livelihoods in sustainable food systems, exploring how policy incentives, certification schemes, and value chains shape transitions towards more just and sustainable livestock farming systems across diverse agricultural contexts
Environmental impacts
We study how livestock contributes to environmental issues, and how to mitigate their impact at various levels, including the farm, the value chain, the region, and the food systems level
Biodiversity
We explore the complex relationship between livestock and nature (including biodiversity and ecosystem services), and design farming systems and incentives to transition towards more sustainable agroecosystems
Animal welfare
We explore ways to improve the lives of all types of farmed animals. We place particular emphasis on assessing and improving animal welfare by using smart technology and behavioral and health indicators that reflect the emotional state of the animals
Animal Production Systems
Research of Animal Production Systems, led by Simon Oosting, focuses on unravelling the complexity of livestock systems.
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