Maria Hetman

Scientific Staff (she/her)

Maria Hetman is a research associate at the University of Hohenheim, where she has contributs to international projects across several research groups. Her work bridges agroforestry, agroecology, knowledge transfer in short food supply chains, sustainability, and social-ecological approaches. She is drawn to research which involves the co-production of knowledge grounded in real-world challenges, in collaboration with local and global partners.

She holds an M.Sc. in Organic Agriculture and Food Systems (University of Hohenheim, DAAD Scholar), a Graduate Certificate in Agroforestry (University of Missouri-Columbia), and an M.A. in Sociology and Social Anthropology (Central European University), complemented by hands-on experience in farming and agricultural advising.

Prior to focusing on agri-food systems, she built an extensive background in program management, program design, and communications through cross-sector work with international civil society and investigative journalism organizations dedicated to public interest and social justice. Having lived and worked in five countries and managed programs across four continents, she brings a global perspective to research and practice.

Research interest

Agroforestry

Agroecology

Short food supply chains

High Nature Value Farming

Sustainability

Equitable and solidarity-based food systems

Research projects

Current:

EU4ADVICE (HORIZON): Multi-actor collaboration dynamics and capacity building network inside and between AKIS to foster the upscaling of SFSCs across Europe

Closed:

SENSE (ERA-NET, BMLEH): Synergies in integrated systems: Improving resource use efficiency while mitigating GHG emissions through well-informed decisions about circularity

LATEST (ERASMUS+): Local-focused AgTech education for successful Ag transitions

AE4EU - Agroecology for Europe (HORIZON): Towards the development of agroecology in Europe

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Projekte

Selected publications

Hetman, M., Knebl, L., Schneider, J., & Zikeli, S. (2025). Policy-oriented project summary: exploring the interaction of agroforestry, circularity, and sustainability on German farms. SENSE Project: Synergies in integrated systems: Improving resource use efficiency while mitigating GHG emissions through well-informed decisions about circularity

Hetman, M., & Knierim, A. (2024). Database of public and private SFSC advisors in the 27 MS and the UK (Deliverable 1.1) [WP 1: Conceptual and strategic foundations: identification of stakeholders and needs]. Horizon Project EU4Advice: multi‐actor collaboration dynamics and capacity building network inside and between AKIS to foster the upscaling of SFSCs [short food supply chains] across Europe. https://zenodo.org/records/18790445

Brazão Vieira Alho, C.F., Zikeli, S., Schneider, J., Hetman, M. (2023). D1.2 Technical Briefs – Germany. SENSE Project: synergies in integrated systems: improving resource use efficiency while mitigating GHG emissions through well-informed decisions about circularity. https://sense-eranet.hutton.ac.uk/sites/sense-eranet.hutton.ac.uk/files/inline-files/SENSE_D1.2_TechnicalBriefs_DE_FINAL.pdf

Hetman, M., & Kalaba, I. (2022).Mapping agroecology in Bosnia-Herzegovina. In A. Wezel, B. Grard, & V. Gkisakis (Eds.), Mapping agroecology in Europe: Country reports series (pp. 55-79). ISARA; Agroecology Europe. https://www.ae4eu.eu/mappingbook/

Plieninger, T., Flinzberger, L., Hetman, M., Horstmannshoff, I., Reinhard-Kolempas, M., Topp, E., Moreno, G., and Huntsinger. L. 2021. Dehesas as high nature value farming systems: a social-ecological synthesis of drivers, pressures, state, impacts, and responses. Ecology and Society 26(3):23. https://doi.org/10.5751/ES-12647-260323

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Publikationen