The “Agricultural Economics and Data Management” Department focuses on current and future-oriented research on agricultural enterprises, agricultural markets, and agricultural policy. Alongside data-based research, important core tasks of the department include the collection, processing, and provision of agricultural and food data as well as the provision of documents and online tools for advisory services and public relations. As a result of interlinkages with various other research fields, the department serves as an important partner for interdisciplinary research projects, both at national and international level. Some of the areas in which this is achieved include professional cooperation with national and international institutions, committees, and expert groups (FADN, OECD, etc.) and participation in research networks (IFCN, Agri-Benchmark Network). 

The research results compiled are published in scientific journals, specialist journals, the department’s own series of publication or are used for lectures and training courses. Provided expert reports, short studies and expert opinions serve as a resource for policymakers, practitioners and advisors and contribute to the scientific, social, and agricultural policy discourse. Thus, the close cooperation with agricultural practice and extension essentially characterises the department.

Alongside data-based research, the department also engages in the processing and presentation of agricultural data. The increasing importance of digitisation and the associated new technical possibilities (e.g., remote sensing systems) are steadily increasing the amount and quality of data available globally. State-of-the-art database management is becoming more and more important accordingly. To meet the standards, the department uses advanced database tools and programs and provides support for the continuous professional development of its staff.

 

The department’s central tasks are:

• The preparation and evaluation of accounting data with a focus on the analysis of income development;
• The study of agricultural branches and their competitiveness at national and international level;
• Analyses in the context of the further development of targeted policy systems for the agricultural sector, including evaluation activities (like those in the framework of the Austrian Programme for Rural Development);
• The analysis of agricultural sectors, including upstream and downstream sectors;
• The conception, programming, and provision of documents for the elaboration of strategies for farm development (e.g., online tool for gross coverage calculations, gross coverages of time series);
• The continuous development of agricultural databases and the provision of advanced analytical tools for research, politics, and the professional public

  Federal Institute

 Agricultural Economics and Data Management