Growing up on a mixed farm in rural Lower Saxony, living in the Global South, studying cultural anthropology, political science and sustainable development, working in development cooperation – for Marieke Behrens, holistic thinking is a way of life. She likes to use cultural anthropology as a tool to change perspectives and question the status quo. In her master’s thesis, she explored the future of agriculture and asked how it can positively influence the social fabric in rural areas.

Marieke joined the Andreas Hermes Akademie in October 2021 as a policy advisor rural development. After a year, she moved to the International Department and, in addition to projects in Tanzania and Kenya, is responsible for other thematic projects in the field of ecological agriculture.