Assess and improve the economic initiatives to promote agroecological practices

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INRAE presentation

INRAE, the French National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food, and Environment, is a public research organization bringing together 12,000 employees across 272 units in 18 centers across France. As the world’s leading institute specializing in agriculture, food, and the environment, INRAE plays a key role in supporting the necessary transitions to address global challenges.

Faced with population growth, food security challenges, climate change, resource depletion, and biodiversity loss, INRAE is committed to developing scientific solutions and supporting the evolution of agricultural, food, and environmental practices.

Work environment, missions and activities

Nature and purpose of the research project to be developed and related activities
Public grants are not enough to commit the agricultural sector to production that meets climate and ecological challenges and is in line with social expectations in terms of quality. Compensation of agro-ecological practices through market mechanisms is being tested and becoming more diverse: for example, environmental labelling of products or the introduction of Low Carbon labels. The success of such initiatives depends, to a large extent, on how farmers use them and the measurement of agroecological performances to be highlighted and promoted via the market. The project involves mobilising the advances in causal inference methods by pairing agricultural statistics data (surveys and farm accounting data) with various databases on land use, quality, and cover (LUCAS-Soil, RMQS, CESBIO land cover, land registry plan), as well as data from farms under quality schemes (organic farming, PDO, etc.) - to conduct a robust appraisal of the impacts of the promotion initiatives of agroecological practices - within a lifecycle approach (from farm to fork). An analytical framework focused on production economics and the adoption of innovations can be used as a basis to build indicators to assess and monitor multiple performances of agroecological practices. Taking into account the heterogeneity of the behaviour of economic players and the role of spatial interactions in their decision making could be the focal point of the methodological contributions.

Nature and purpose of the teaching project
Your skills will enable you to participate in the training activities of engineering students at the Institut Agro in Dijon, as well as in the teaching units within the economics or environmental science curriculum at Bourgogne Europe University. The lessons and seminars given will aim to strengthen the training of young students, in collaboration with the biotechnical and ecological sciences, potentially leading to Master’s dissertations or PhD theses. It will cover theoretical and analytical aspects of quantitative causal inference techniques and their implementation in agricultural and environmental economics. Participation in developing short courses for researchers could be considered (researcher school, summer school).

Funding and related resources
ANR Package : €200 000
INRAE Package : €95 000
Total : €295 000

Training and skills

PhD in economics. Research experience in agricultural economics or environmental and resource economics validated by several publications in peer-reviewed journals is required. The position requires proven skills in statistics and econometrics. Experience in cross-disciplinary research and an interest in teaching would be appreciated. The candidate must also demonstrate the ability to manage joint research projects, supervise doctoral students, and teach.

INRAE's life quality

By joining our teams, you benefit from:

- 30 days of annual leave + 15 days "Reduction of Working Time" (for a full time);
- parenting support: CESU childcare, leisure services;
- skills development systems: training, career advise;
- social support: advice and listening, social assistance and loans;
- holiday and leisure services: holiday vouchers, accommodation at preferential rates;
- sports and cultural activities;
- collective catering.

International scientists, please visit your guide to facilitate your arrival and stay at INRAE.

Type of contract

Tenure-Track Junior Professor Chair enables recruitment of scientists based on a research and teaching project that lasts three years. At the end of this period, and following an assessment of your scientific achievements and professional capabilities, you may obtain a full-tenure position as Research Director (DR2).

A research and teaching agreement will specify the path you will follow towards full-tenure and enable you to acquire the qualifications necessary to become a full-tenure Research Director in your field.

You have until April 12, 2024 to submit your application. Only candidates previously selected on file by the selection committee will be invited to the hearing.