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Prof. Marjolein Visser

Professor — Professeure

Chair of Agroecology at the Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Belgium

Tel: +32 (0)2 650 21 33

Email: Marjolein.Visser(at)ulb.be

Profile & curriculum

MSc in Agricultural Sciences, Ghent University (B) (1986-1991)

PhD in Biological Sciences in Applied Biological Sciences, Ghent University (1997-2001)

Marie Curie Post-Doc fellowship, National University of Ireland, Galway (2002-2004)

Thematics : Agroecology and Farming systems

How can we adequately feed ourselves while ensuring a dignified livelihood for farmers and fostering the integrity of socio-ecosystems, locally and globally?

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Starting from our own households all the way to the arenas of transnational policies, our research group explores other models and modes of organising the farm-food nexus. We are driven by agroecology and its potential to address the compelling need for changes of approach and postures in research. We need these changes to address in turn the quest for autonomy by peasant communities and urban households alike. For this to work, we ought to genuinely transform the way we work in research and open up to transdisciplinarity. We thus practice a philosophy of “zooming out to better zoom in”.

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Read more here to understand how we aim to foster this socio-ecological transformation.

Research interests

  • Technical questions: trees in farmed landscapes, grassland based farming, soil health, biological soil analysis, seed ecology (dormancy, germination, genetics, diversity, crop breeding), human nutrition, cereals, bread

  • Broader and systemic questions: ecosystem integrity versus food production, soil stewardship, the seed question (origin, ownership, adaptation), agrarian change under population pressure, peasantries and their quest for autonomy, reconnecting cities with their hinterlands, human ecology, food to reconnect households and farms, farm and food economics

  • Methodological questions: transdisciplinary research methodologies, participatory action research, rural appraisal, farming system diagnostics, discourse analysis

Current research projects

  • 2015 - present: Looking for diversified wheat seed, ecological cropping and artisan breadmaking through networks connecting farmers, bakers, millers, citizens and researchers, in collaboration with Li Mestère, Biowallonie and CRA-W

  • 2013 - present: Urban agriculture in and around Brussels, see activities of our Brussels based NGO RUCOLA

  • 2024 - 2030: Generational renewal of family farms in Wallonia and corporate capture

Teaching

Within the Brussels Bioengineering School (BBS), I teach both at Bachelor’s and Master’s level.

 

At the Bachelor’s level I teach “Agriculture and agroecology” (BING-F-202) which is a key course leading to our Master of Agricultural Sciences.

 

At the Master’s level, I organise a two-week internship at the experimental farm of the CARAH in Ath (Belgium) (BING-F-416) together with François Serneels (CARAH). I further teach plant breeding within the course “Plant Population Genetics and Breeding” (BING-F-4006). Besides these fixed commitments, I exchange seminars, both within and outside the ULB.

Five key publications

  • Beaugendre A., D. Mingeot & M. Visser, 2022. Complex plant interactions in heterogeneous material require the ecological rethinking of sowing density recommendations for bread wheat. A review. Agronomy for sustainable development 42, 9 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13593-021-00735-7

  • Louah L., M. Visser, A. Blaimont & C. De Cannière, 2017. Barriers to the development of temperate agroforestry as an example of agroecological innovation : Mainly a matter of cognitive lock-in ? Land Use Policy 67: 86-97.

  • Stassart P.M., Ph. Baret, J-Cl. Grégoire, Th. Hance, M. Mormont, D. Reheul, D. Stilmant, G. Vanloqueren & M. Visser, 2012. Trajectoire et potentiel de l'agroécologie, pour une transition vers des systèmes alimentaires durables, papier de positionnement du GIRAF, in Agroécologie, entre pratiques et sciences sociales (eds. Van Dam D., J. Nizet, M. Streith and P.M. Stassart), Educagri, 2012. Downloadable from www.agroecology.be.

  • Visser M, J. Moran, E.C. Regan, M. Gormally M & M. Sheehy Skeffington, 2007. How users and non-users perceive turlough management under the converging EU agendas of Natura 2000 and CAP in Ireland. Land Use Policy 24: 362-373.

  • Visser M. & D. Reheul, 2001. Restoring depleted Tunisian drylands with native species: where should we source the seeds? Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution 48:567-578.

All publications are available upon request or through ResearchGate

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