Opportunities for Master's theses at D-MTEC
Explore opportunities to write your Master's thesis at a research group at D-MTEC or an associated lab. The feed is based on SiROP placements.
A Spatiotemporal Analysis of the Uptake of Fungus-Resistant Grapes
This thesis investigates the spatial and temporal patterns in the adoption of fungus-resistant grapevine varieties (also known as PiWi) in the Canton of Zurich. Using rich plot-level panel data (N=36,270), it explores how replanting decisions are shaped by spatial and temporal factors, contributing to a better understanding of pesticide risk reduction in viticulture.
Keywords
GIS, Data analysis, Viticulture, Pest Management
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Master Thesis
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Published since: 2025-07-15 , Earliest start: 2025-07-15 , Latest end: 2026-07-15
Applications limited to ETH Zurich
Organization Chair of Agricultural Economics and Policy D-MTEC
Hosts Zachmann Lucca
Topics Economics
Ex-ante assessment of merged biodiversity and landscape quality payments in Swiss agricultural policy
This thesis uses an ex-ante simulation to evaluate the effects of merging agglomeration bonuses and landscape quality payments in Swiss agricultural policy. Using a budget allocation model applied to the canton of Grisons, the study assesses the influence of varying cantonal co-financing levels on farm participation, income, and potential biodiversity outcomes.
Keywords
Biodiversity, collective agri-environmental schemes, budget allocation, co-finance mechanism
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Published since: 2025-07-14 , Earliest start: 2025-08-01 , Latest end: 2026-08-01
Organization Chair of Agricultural Economics and Policy D-USYS
Hosts Finger Robert, Dr.
Topics Economics
Marginal costs of biodiversity provision in Swiss agriculture
This thesis uses the bio-economic model FarmDyn to quantify the opportunity costs of biodiversity-friendly practices on Swiss dairy and beef farms, based on data from the canton of Grisons. The thesis evaluates the cost-efficiency of various agri-environmental scheme designs to inform biodiversity policy in Swiss mountain agriculture.
Keywords
Biodiversity, agriculture, agri-environmental schemes, opportunity costs, mountain farming
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Published since: 2025-07-14 , Earliest start: 2025-08-01 , Latest end: 2026-08-01
Organization Chair of Agricultural Economics and Policy D-USYS
Hosts Huber Robert , Finger Robert, Dr.
Topics Economics
Falling Through the Cracks: Understanding Non-Participation in Direct Payment Schemes among Swiss Grape Growers
This thesis examines factors behind non-participation in direct payment schemes by grape growers in Swiss viticulture using survey data from 489 producers across all major wine regions. Given viticulture’s high pesticide use and economic importance, the thesis offers policy-relevant insights into the effectiveness of agri-environmental programs.
Keywords
Agricultural Policy, Data analysis, Viticulture, Pest Management
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Master Thesis
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Published since: 2025-07-07 , Earliest start: 2025-07-07 , Latest end: 2026-07-06
Applications limited to ETH Zurich
Organization Chair of Agricultural Economics and Policy D-MTEC
Hosts Zachmann Lucca
Topics Economics
Master Thesis Economics of spatial and temporal information for improving nitrogen efficiency in agriculture.
Background Switzerland has ambitious goals to reduce nitrogen surpluses in agriculture. An important mechanism in this context is to improve nitrogen efficiency. In this context, new technologies such as precision farming, and remote sensing and new sensors can provide better information on nutrient availability in the field. In the past, these efforts were mainly focused on improving spatial application patterns. This thesis aims to also include the temporal application pattern, i.e. when to apply fertilizer. Such spatial and temporal information can help farmers avoid nitrogen losses by applying the right amount of fertilizer at the right time and place to meet crop needs. Soil health sensors (such as those developed by Digit Soil) can provide additional information about the timing of fertilizer application. Combining spatial and temporal information about fertilizer application could improve nitrogen efficiency in crop production and contribute to a more sustainable agricultural sector. Research questions ● What are the economic costs and benefits of knowing when to fertilize? ● How big is the potential to reduce fertilizing by using temporal information? ● What is the potential of spatial and temporal information for achieving nitrogen efficiency goals in Swiss agriculture?
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Master Thesis , ETH Zurich (ETHZ)
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Published since: 2025-06-12 , Earliest start: 2025-09-01 , Latest end: 2026-12-31
Organization Chair of Agricultural Economics and Policy D-MTEC
Hosts Finger Robert, Dr.
Topics Agricultural, Veterinary and Environmental Sciences , Economics
Master thesis: Crop protection in organic and non-organic pesticide-free arable farming
Pesticide-free (non-organic) crop production is currently gaining ground in European agriculture as a new alternative pathway between conventional and organic farming. To successfully produce crops without using pesticides, farmers must adopt sustainable crop protection measures, e.g., following the principles of integrated crop protection (IPM) or agroecological crop protection (ACP). Even though both production systems, i.e., pesticide-free non-organic and organic, work without pesticides, the alternative crop protection measures used may differ between organic and non-organic farms. To date, little is known about potential differences between farming systems without pesticides regarding the adoption of alternative crop protection strategies.
Keywords
crop protection, pesticide-free, organic, integrated pest management (IPM), wheat, maize, Switzerland
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Master Thesis
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Published since: 2025-06-12 , Earliest start: 2025-02-02 , Latest end: 2026-01-22
Organization Chair of Agricultural Economics and Policy D-MTEC
Hosts Akter Sharmin
Topics Agricultural, Veterinary and Environmental Sciences
Master thesis: The effect of soil erosion risk on Swiss dairy production
Healthy soil is essential of agriculture and a key resource for meeting 21st-century human needs such as food, feed, fiber, clean water, and clean air (Amundson et al., 2015). However, soil degradation is a major problem for agriculture globally but also in Switzerland. Agriculture significantly contributes to soil degradation due to its reliance on resource-intensive practices, such as overgrazing (see Borrelli et al., 2017, and references therein). From a theoretical perspective, soil erosion can have a dual effect on agricultural production. On one hand, it degrades soil quality, reducing the effectiveness of land and other inputs, such as fertilizers, and subsequently lowering agricultural output. On the other hand, at higher levels of soil erosion, farmers may adopt advanced technologies that enable more efficient use of land and inputs, allowing them to adapt to ongoing erosion risks and potentially increasing agricultural output. Thus, the net effect of soil erosion on production depends on whether the negative impacts outweigh the positive adaptations or vice versa. The relevance of soil erosion and production also holds for dairy production in Switzerland, e.g. due to the relevance of on farm feed production. Despite its importance, there is a lack of farm-level studies examining the dynamics of soil erosion within the production structure of dairy farming. Addressing this gap could provide valuable policy insights for promoting sustainable farming practices to mitigate soil erosion.
Keywords
Dairy farming, soil erosion, Swiss agriculture, sustainability
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Master Thesis
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Published since: 2025-06-03 , Earliest start: 2025-01-01 , Latest end: 2027-01-01
Organization Chair of Agricultural Economics and Policy D-MTEC
Hosts Parikoglou Iordanis
Topics Agricultural, Veterinary and Environmental Sciences , Economics
Bottlenecks in Climate Change Adaptation for Arable Crop Farming
This master thesis examines the bottlenecks in climate change adaptation for arable crop farming, with a focus on the behavioral and socioeconomic factors. By analyzing survey data from 700 farms in Germany, it aims to identify the key barriers to effective uptake of adaptation measures and provide insights for developing more efficient and targeted strategies to enhance agricultural resilience to climate change.
Keywords
Climate Change Adaptation, Arable Crop Farming, Agriculture, Resilience, Adaptation Strategies
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Master Thesis
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Published since: 2025-03-13 , Earliest start: 2025-03-13
Applications limited to Agroscope , ETH Zurich , University of Zurich
Organization Chair of Agricultural Economics and Policy D-MTEC
Hosts Stetter Christian
Topics Economics
Is Reducing Livestock Populations Necessary for Achieving Low-Emission Agriculture?
Livestock farming is the largest contributor to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions within agriculture, raising the question of whether reducing livestock populations is essential for achieving low-emission agriculture. This thesis examines whether such reductions are a necessary condition and identifies bottleneck levels of livestock counts for given GHG emission targets. Using Necessary Condition Analysis (NCA), the research also explores the potential of alternative mitigation strategies, such as feed optimization, manure management, and technological innovations.
Keywords
Climate Change Mitigation, Livestock Farming, Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Low-Carbon Agriculture, Sustainable Food Systems
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Master Thesis
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Published since: 2025-03-13
Applications limited to Agroscope , ETH Zurich , University of Zurich
Organization Chair of Agricultural Economics and Policy D-MTEC
Hosts Stetter Christian
Topics Agricultural, Veterinary and Environmental Sciences , Economics
Behavioral drivers of climate change adaptation in crop farming
Agriculture is widely recognized as one of the most vulnerable sectors to the adverse effects of climate change, which is particularly true for arable farming. Projections indicate that these effects will worsen in the coming decades. Farmers will have to adapt to the changing climate. Multiple climate change adaptation strategies have been suggested over the last decades, including, e.g., diversification, conservation tillage or crop insurance. However, little is known about the behavioral factors influencing the adoption of such strategies. This master thesis aims to investigate the influence of farmers’ behavioral characteristics on the uptake of climate change adaptation measures in the context of German arable farming.
Keywords
Clilmate change adaptation, arable farming, behavioral economics, decision-making
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Master Thesis
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Published since: 2025-03-06 , Earliest start: 2022-12-09
Organization Chair of Agricultural Economics and Policy D-MTEC
Hosts Stetter Christian
Topics Agricultural, Veterinary and Environmental Sciences , Economics
Do extreme weather shocks amplify structural change in European agriculture?
Agriculture is widely recognized as one of the most vulnerable sectors to the adverse effects of climate change. This thesis aims to identify effects of weather shocks on farm structural indicators. It combines official statistics provided by the EU with meteorological data and provides causal estimates of weather shocks on farm structural indicators using econometric methods.
Keywords
Climate change, extreme weather, structural change, farm exits
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Master Thesis
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Published since: 2025-03-06 , Earliest start: 2023-05-15
Organization Chair of Agricultural Economics and Policy D-MTEC
Hosts Stetter Christian
Topics Agricultural, Veterinary and Environmental Sciences , Economics