Subproject 5:

Participatory modelling for the evaluation/assessment of complex agricultural functions

The common market organisation for sugar is coming under pressure from WTO and EU. To analyse this forthcoming change in advance, mental models of stakeholders are developed in a participatory process. The process of modelling imparts the participants understanding for the system and the knowledge about the implications. The main focus lies on manifoldness of interactions (ecological, economic and social dimension) and long time implications. For the construction of the models the stakeholders (farmers, environmental protectionists and consumer protectionists) are also offered scientific knowledge. The modelling method is based on the „Group Model Building“ approach in the field of system dynamics.