Programme Description

Watersheds are of significant importance for the global ecosystem and are characterized by a high degree of ethnic, cultural and ecological diversity. They span from small mountain catchments to transboundary river basins. Interdependencies between upstream and downstream agriculture and resource management pose particular challenges for the development of sustainable agricultural practices. High population growth, climate and land use change, and extraction of natural resources by a variety of actors are increasing the pressure on fragile watershed areas. In order to stop the downward spiral of resource degradation, landscape instability, reduced biodiversity, rural poverty and food insecurity, interdisciplinary analysis and new approaches to sustainable agriculture and integrated watershed management are needed that identify sustainable land use practices, strengthen local institutions and knowledge systems, and increase the resilience of watershed ecosystems and rural livelihoods.

The new International Master Program jointly offered by Universität Hohenheim, Germany, and Chiang Mai University, Thailand seeks to lay the foundation for such integrated approaches in education and training. It addresses post-graduate students from Southeast and South Asia, Latin America and Africa, who want to deepen their knowledge of the complexity of:

* Watershed Agro-ecosystems
* Sustainable Agricultural Practices and
* New Pathways of Integrated Watershed Management

Students from Europe, East Asia and North America are also welcome. Both universities have long-standing experience in research on sustainable agriculture and integrated watershed management and have developed an extensive network of partner universities and research organizations in the Southeast Asian region and beyond.