Dr. Peer Urbatzka
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State organic plant cultivation research in Bavaria
Project-oriented learning in groups
In Witzenhausen, I first studied for a diploma in organic agriculture at the Department of Organic Agricultural Sciences, and directly afterwards for a master's degree in International Ecological Agriculture. What do you remember from your time as a student? I started in the winter semester of 1997 and have to summarize: surprisingly little from the basic studies. Sure, the teachers, fellow students, and of course parties in the club and political involvement in ArcheGENoah or anti-nuclear. But from the lectures themselves? Mmh, maybe we better change the topic. First of all, there were the big project works (plant conversion with Christian Schüler, organization of the conference with Holger Mittelstraß), but also the smaller project works in the basic studies or in the master. They were great and I got a lot out of them. Especially the last weeks before the presentation at the conversion group or the conference were very exciting, if this will really work out. Besides the technical inputs (especially in crop production), I learned a lot about group dynamics, dealing with conflicts, common ideas and reaching the goal together. And then standing up for them in the discussion. So what stuck with me was that people are simply better off working together, even if this is of course not always easy. And freely according to Confucius: what I have done myself, I have not only understood, but I still know it to a large extent today.
From experimental field HiWi to research manager
Parallel to my studies, I have worked as a student assistant since my specialization studies. It was at this time that the Hessian State Domain Frankenhausen joined the University of Kassel. There I got to know, appreciate and love field trials. In addition to cereals and grain legumes, there were also trials on field vegetables and many on potatoes. Working in the fresh air with a high degree of precision. I liked that. This laid the foundation for my two diploma theses, my later dissertation and my current profession.
I wrote these three theses on the subject of winter peas. One or more field trials were set up for each of them. I learned to work independently, precisely and scientifically. I also learned how to organize myself, make arrangements with technical staff, etc..
Today I am head of the working group on organic crop production at the Bavarian State Research Center for Agriculture. My work mainly involves the design, planning, evaluation and publication of field trials. I am responsible for a total of 70 to 80 trials every year. These are carried out by various trial teams throughout Bavaria. About half of the trials are state variety trials in organic farming, the other half are production trials. The majority of the trials are financed from our own funds, some also from third-party funds.
Looking back, as mentioned above, the project and diploma theses and the dissertation provided important impetus for my current work. Witzenhausen was a great place to study.
Comment
Saro Gerd Ratter: Very nice description of what matters in studies and in life: "that people are simply better positioned together". I am glad to know another ex-Witzenhausen in Bavaria. Maybe we will meet. Since this year I have been working as an employee of the Schweisfurth Foundation together with the LfL on a research project about calves in organic dairy farming.