"ETH helped me develop a complete understanding of agriculture, food and my scientific incorruptibility."

When you were a kid, what did you want to be?

When I was 19 and coming to the end of my time at school, I wanted to be either a wood or stone carver. In fact, I already had an apprenticeship in stone carving lined up.

But then you came to ETH, where you ultimately gained your PhD in agricultural and food sciences. What led you to ETH?

A sculptor and distinguished artist warned me that I would very probably spend my whole life working on gravestones and would never produce any art. At that time, I travelled to Provence. I arrived at ETH with the scent of the lavender fields and the visual experience of the wonderful landscape and stone fruit farms fresh in my memory. I was accepted even though I enrolled a month after the closing date for registration.

What did your undergraduate course and PhD research at ETH add to your life journey?

ETH helped me develop a complete understanding of agriculture, food and my scientific incorruptibility.

You are now the President of agroecology.science, the institute for sustainable food and agricultural systems. What does your job involve?

I was at Agroscope for ten years, mainly working in plant protection. Then I spent 30 years at FiBL, the Research Institute of Organic Agriculture, where I am very proud to be able to say that I raised the institution’s status from that of a pioneer to one of recognition.

Today, at the age of 68, I’m simply continuing what I’ve been doing for 30 years. I’m working on the same subjects, but with greater breadth because agroecology places fewer restrictions on me and has no ideology behind it. I continue to maintain all my scientific and personal networks both at home and abroad. I do a lot of work for the United Nations’ Food System Summit and am an expert called upon by the European Union. I have taken on more than 10 members of staff at agroecology.science and they are now working on projects for the food industry, Federal Office for Agriculture and various trusts.

My final link to the FiBL is that as a hobby I’m chairman of FiBL Austria. I spend a third of my time in Vienna where I help with fund-raising. And it would seem that I’m quite good at it. I also have a fantastic mandate at Agroscope, which I simply love: we are to shift the focus of the work program more towards agroecological agricultural and food systems.

This year, the Institute of Agricultural Sciences is celebrating its 150th anniversary. How significant is this anniversary for you?

I am proud to have been allowed to study agricultural sciences at ETH. This specialist area has a promising future ahead of it.

Do you have any tips for ETH students?

While at university, I was a shy person and didn't attend lectures enough because I had so many other interests. Use your time at ETH to indulge in a large number of interests. And be confident in yourself; after all, you are studying the future of mankind!