Prof. Dr. Harald Grethe
Director
❯Agora Agriculture
About us
Food, agriculture, and forestry are of great importance for climate neutrality, biodiversity conservation and other key sustainability goals at national and international levels. The necessary knowledge on how to achieve these goals is largely available. Despite this, current agricultural, forestry, and food policies in Germany and the EU are not sufficiently aligned to the sustainability goals. We would like to change that.
At the independent think tank Agora Agriculture, we work on the central areas of action of the transformation at the interface between science, policy, society, and the private sector. With our work, we want to contribute to achieving the democratically negotiated sustainability goals and support future societal negotiation processes for the transformation.
The transformation to more sustainable food, agriculture and forestry is an opportunity – not only for society but for all sectors involved
What we do
We produce science-based analyses, organize dialogues, and develop politically feasible solutions for a broad range of topics, from the transformation of livestock farming to the rewetting of peatlands, sustainable arable farming and land use in the bioeconomy, and sustainable food systems.
An important basis of the work of Agora Agriculture is the integrated consideration of the sustainability dimensions. This, together with cooperation with Agora Energiewende, Agora Verkehrswende and Agora Industry, enables the comprehensive consideration of synergies and conflicting goals in the context of future land use. We focus on the transformation in Germany; however, we also work on key processes at the EU level and consider the international implications of political action.
Since transformation is a task for society overall, we address our analyses and recommendations to political decision-makers, interest groups from the private sector, agricultural producers, civil society, and journalists. We see the necessary change as an opportunity – not only for society – but also for the sectors involved. These change processes require a democratic and knowledge-based design. Agora Agriculture contributes to this.
Who we are
Christine Chemnitz and Harald Grethe lead the work of Agora Agriculture in tandem. They are currently staffing a team in a flat hierarchy structure, that works creatively and in an interdisciplinary way at the interface of science and policy.
Council and Scientific Advisory Board
The Council of Agora Agriculture brings together key stakeholders of the agricultural, forestry, and food policy debate. It will be established by summer 2022, and will bring together around 20 people from politics, associations, business, science, and civil society.
The Council is a forum for the open and trustful exchange of different perspectives on the challenges of sustainability transformation in food, agriculture, and forestry and on the work of Agora Agriculture.
In addition to the Council, we will establish a Scientific Advisory Board consisting of about 20 scientists from different disciplines. The Scientific Advisory Board will advise Agora Agriculture on complex issues that can only be addressed in an inter-and transdisciplinary way.
Supporting Organisations
Agora Agriculture is supported by private foundations and organisations. The organization works independently of economic and partisan interests.
PDF-Download | Financial Support Agora_Agriculture 2022 2023
Robert Bosch Stiftung
Porticus
Umweltstiftung Michael Otto
European Climate Foundation
Agora Think Tanks
Agora Agriculture is part of the Agora think tanks, which also include Agora Energiewende, Agora Industry, and Agora Verkehrswende. The organisations are united in the pursuit of a climate-neutral future in Germany, Europe and globally. They work in a science-based and interdisciplinary manner to develop sound and politically feasible paths for the major transformation sectors. The Agora think tanks share knowledge with stakeholders from politics, business, science and civil society and strive for a productive exchange of ideas.
Agora Agriculture, Agora Energiewende, and Agora Industry are part of the non-profit SEFEP gGmbH, which is funded by grants from foundations and public institutions. The organization is not beholden to corporate or political interests.
News
Think tank "Agora Agriculture" begins its work
The newly founded organization develops strategies and policy proposals for the transformation
to sustainable food, agriculture, and forestry.
Berlin, 17 May 2022. With today's launch of Agora Agriculture, the independent think tank begins its work on sustainable food, agriculture, and forestry in Germany and the EU. These areas are central to climate protection, biodiversity conservation, and to achieving other sustainability goals at national and international levels. The new organization joins Agora Energiewende, Agora Verkehrswende, and Agora Industry, covering another sector that is central to achieving climate neutrality. The food system as a whole is responsible for about a quarter of greenhouse gas emissions in Germany. In addition, agriculture and forestry are of particular importance for biodiversity due to their share of about 80 percent of Germany’s land area.
Agora Agriculture aims to develop science-based policy proposals for sustainable food, agriculture, and forestry. Through sound analysis and the organization of dialogues, the think tank will support political negotiation processes to achieve key sustainability goals. The focus of Agora Agriculture’s work includes restructuring of livestock farming, sustainability in arable farming and sustainable land use, the rewetting of peatlands, sustainable forest use, and healthier and more sustainable diets.
The think tank is co-chaired by agricultural experts Christine Chemnitz and Harald Grethe. "Food, agricultural, and forestry policies need to be oriented towards key sustainability goals," said Harald Grethe, Director of Agora Agriculture. “The areas that require urgent political action are well known. With our work, we want to help ensure that political decision makers shape the transformation in a knowledge-based, transparent way and with a long-term perspective.”
"Contributing to solving the climate and biodiversity crisis holds great opportunities for the sectors involved and for society as a whole – also in politically uncertain times,” said Agora Agriculture Director Christine Chemnitz. “Agora Agriculture is committed to preserving production resources such as soil and water, developing new sources of income, and increasing societal appreciation of agriculture and forestry."
An important foundation of Agora Agriculture's work is its integrated approach to key sustainability dimensions. This, together with the cooperation with Agora Energiewende, Agora Industry, and Agora Verkehrswende, enables a holistic view of synergies and conflicting goals in the context of future land use. "We are very pleased that with the launch of Agora Agriculture, the Agora think tanks now cover another essential area in the transformation to climate neutrality," said Markus Steigenberger, Managing Director of Agora Energiewende.
Chemnitz and Grethe will head Agora Agriculture and build an interdisciplinary 14-member team. Both have many years of professional experience in the fields of agricultural and food policy: Christine Chemnitz was previously Head of the Unit on International Agricultural Policy at the Heinrich-Böll-Foundation for more than 15 years. Harald Grethe heads the International Agricultural Trade and Development Group at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and was Chairman of the Scientific Advisory Board for Agricultural Policy, Food and Consumer Health Protection at the Federal Ministry for Food and Agriculture from 2012 to 2020.
Agora Agriculture works independently of economic and partisan interests and is supported by funding from private foundations. These include the Robert Bosch Stiftung, Porticus, the European Climate Foundation and the Michael Otto Environmental Foundation. The Mercator Foundation is also among its supporters.
About Agora Agriculture
Agora Agriculture develops scientifically sound and politically feasible paths for the transformation to sustainable food, agriculture, and forestry. The organization works independently of economic and partisan interests.