Founded as a spin-off, agrathaer is the designated innovation and technology transfer entity (SME) of ZALF, linking scientific expertise in the field of landscape research and impact assessment with management skills and expertise as an innovation broker. The core business aims at co-creating ready for implementation solutions for specific problems and demands from policy and practice by providing substantiated scientific expertise in a customer oriented manner, comprising sustainable land use concepts, knowledge brokerage for specific target groups, and methodological and technology transfer support. For the latter agrathaer applies tailor made participatory methods for decision support. agrathaer advises federal governmental bodies and institutions in policy impact assessment for new legislation and the implementation of EU-policies and their instruments. As active participant and supporter of the science-practitioner dialogue in Brandenburg, agrathaer has taken an active role in the conceptual framing and implementation of the EIP. agrathaer’s staff composition reflects transdisciplinarity, expertise, sector crossing activities and advisory skills. Beyond thematic know-how essential for innovation brokerage, agrathaer staff members own long term experience in international European land use policy oriented research as well as insights into the regional agricultural and urban-rural context. Through cooperation in pilots and innovation projects in Berlin-Brandenburg region, agrathaer is well embedded into the local stakeholder networks.
For vital, agrathaer implements and enhances the science-practice dialogue throughout the project to forster and transfer knowledge in sustainable intensification pathways for future innovation. Therefore, agrathaer follows the project development from the Stakeholder perspectives to identify possible gaps (e.g. according to aspects like need-orientation or simply to draw on real world conditions). The Stakeholder perspectives will be repeatedly reflected to the project partners and implemented in the process to ensure qualitative project improvement. Also agrathaer provides strategies, methods and formats for customized dissemination of the project results.
Anita Beblek, email: anita.beblek@agrathaer.de
Anita Beblek is managing director of agrathaer GmbH and lawyer, with experience in strategic consultancy, project management, contract management and innovation management. Since working with agrathaer she established successful science – practice and policy cooperation and innovation brokerage, e.g. transfer of the licenced tomatofish patent into the largest urban aquaponics farm in Berlin, the co-development of sustainable regional energy concepts as well as the launching of EIP Brandenburg.
Katharina Schmidt, email: katharina.schmidt@agrathaer.de
Katharina Schmidt studied environmental management (B.Sc.) at the University of Gießen and is currently completing her master studies in environmental planning at the Technical University of Berlin. Since beginning of 2015 she works as junior consultant with agrathaer, and brings in her skills in media and transfer issues.