Postdoc: Governance arrangements for regenerative agriculture at Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University (RSM)

Job Description:

Latest job information from Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University (RSM) for the position of Postdoc: Governance arrangements for regenerative agriculture. If the Postdoc: Governance arrangements for regenerative agriculture vacancy in Utrecht matches your qualifications, please submit your latest application or CV directly through the updated Jobkos job portal.

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Our current food system is at the heart of many pressing sustainability challenges. Industrial agriculture contributes significantly to climate change, biodiversity loss, and soil and water degradation, while at the same time many farmers struggle to secure a fair income. Regenerative farming practices offer pathways towards sustainable food production, yet their widespread adoption is hampered by uncertainties about viable business models and reward structures.

Your job This postdoctoral position is part of ReGeNL, a large national inter‑ and transdisciplinary research programme aimed at accelerating the transition of Dutch agriculture towards regenerative practices. Within this consortium of multiple Dutch universities and research institutes, you will collaborate with researchers, farmers, policymakers, financial institutions, and supply chain actors. Your work will directly inform both science and practice, and contribute to shaping the governance and financing models needed for a sustainable and just agrifood system.

A common perception is that regenerative farming is by definition more costly and cannot deliver a viable business model for farmers. This assumption is an important barrier for the agricultural transition. However, numerous farmers in the Netherlands and abroad demonstrate that successful regenerative business cases are possible. Their models often rely on strongly reduced input costs, improved product quality, short supply chains, or certification schemes. Some farmers are already experimenting with additional income streams by monetising ecological and social services. Since a large share of Dutch farmers produces for export markets, product differentiation alone will not suffice to ensure viable regenerative business models. Exploratory studies suggest that payments for ecosystem services (PES) can provide a substantial financial complement for regenerative farms, enabling their income to exceed that of conventional businesses. Yet, the right mix of options will depend strongly on landscape and farm context and design. This project, embedded in ReGeNL, will therefore investigate governance models and reward structures that allow ecosystem services to become a structural part of farm income. Together with farmers, banks, governments, and market actors, we will co‑create and implement innovative financing and governance models in pilot regions with different contexts. Deliverables include tested and broadly supported governance arrangements for multiple value creation.

Your role

As a postdoctoral researcher, you will:

• Analyse cost‑benefit structures of regenerative farming at landscape level;
• Co‑develop governance and financing models with farmers and key stakeholders;
• Guide implementation and evaluate the effectiveness of these models in pilot regions;
• Produce academic publications as well as practice‑oriented outputs;
• Actively contribute to the ReGeNL programme, including interdisciplinary collaboration with partner universities and institutes;
• Engage with farmers, as well as policy, financial, and value chain actors to ensure impact.

Job Info:

• Company: Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University (RSM)
• Position: Postdoc: Governance arrangements for regenerative agriculture
• Work Location: Utrecht
• Country: NL

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