Managing Team

Our four-member Managing Team of interdisciplinary experts combines over 50 years of experience in agricultural research and consulting projects. By using state-of-the-art methods, we deliver customized research, consulting and evaluation services.

 

With a commitment to innovation and client-centric solutions, we ensure that each project not only meets but exceeds client expectations, creating meaningful and lasting impacts in the global agricultural and food system.

Juliane Kaufmann
Managing Director

Juliane’s work focuses on sustainable agricultural development in the interplay of socio-economic and environmental aspects. Her strength lies in bringing together various disciplines and looking at development from different perspectives. At HFFA Research GmbH, her specific focus is on climate smart agriculture and agroecology. She advises on measuring the socioeconomic impacts of agricultural practices and policies and has expertise in conducting various economic analysis such as cost-benefit, cost-effectiveness and multicriteria analysis.

 

Juliane has a background in natural resource economics (M.Sc.) and social sciences (B.A.) from Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and Heinrich-Heine-University in Düsseldorf; and an additional qualification in international development cooperation from the Centre for Rural Development (SLE) in Berlin.

Lina Staubach

Scientific Consultant

Lina is a political scientist specialized in the interface of governance, law, and sustainable development. Her research focuses on the analysis and impact assessment of national, EU and international policies and laws in the areas of agriculture, environment, rural development and trade. She is an expert in social innovations and institution building that supports agricultural and related societal transformation processes in the public, private and civil sector. Also, she advises on participatory research approaches and has comprehensive experience in implementing OECD/DAC evaluations of projects and programs in development cooperation.

 

Lina holds a Master of Laws (LL.M.) in public international law from Leiden University, a Master of Arts (M.A) in political science from the Freie Universität Berlin as well as a bachelor’s degree in political science (major subject) and law (minor subject).

Matti Cartsburg
Senior Consultant

As an agricultural economist with over ten years of experience in quantitative data analysis and studying the international agricultural sector, Matti developed a particular expertise in modelling climate change and policy impacts on agricultural markets, cost-benefit analyses of climate adaptation measures and environmental assessments. A special focus of his work lies on the agricultural sector and its interdependencies with the water sector, greenhouse gas emissions, biodiversity, and degeneration of soils. Additionally, Matti has ample routine in conducting impact assessments as well as implementing OECD/DAC evaluations of projects in international development cooperation.

 

Matti holds a master’s degree in agricultural economics from Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. He has long-term experience in managing international projects and consulting assignments.

Steffen Noleppa
Managing Director

For more than 30 years working as an agricultural economist, Steffen has been involved in the analysis of global agricultural markets and rural policies as well as environmental and transition processes. He has long-standing experience in ex-post and ex-ante impact assessments and evaluations of agricultural technologies and policies, in modelling of agricultural markets and food sectors, cost-benefit and societal analysis. Since many years, he has also been working intensively in the field of climate change and environmental economics. He advises private companies, governments and administration as well as NGOs on agricultural and environmental change processes across the globe.

 

Steffen is the managing director as well as the owner of HFFA Research GmbH. He holds a Ph.D. in agricultural economics and a master’s degree in animal husbandry, both from Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin.

Global Expert Network

Our diverse research projects are always backed up by high-quality expertise. To have the right minds at the table we work together with experts from different scientific disciplines. Our broad expert network consists of high-profile individuals as well as partnering institutions from the consulting, development and science communities around the globe.

 

We are convinced that flexible knowledge coalitions and interdisciplinary as well as intercultural collaboration between experienced knowledge brokers are key to creating innovative outcomes. Working at eye level with all partners and stakeholders is part of our creative work mentality. Our experienced Managing Team ensures smooth coordination of partners during the whole project life cycle, from onboarding and project preparation to implementation and dissemination.