The research activities of the Social Sciences Unit are clustered around three research domains: Integration, Transition and Open space.
In the research domain Integration, sustainability of the Flemish agriculture and horticulture is the core research element. Economic as well as ecological and social aspects of sustainability are integrated in the research. Methods are developed to evaluate the sustainability of a farm, chain or sector and to guide management or policy towards more sustainability.
In the research domain Transition, transition processes and the management of these processes in the Flemish agriculture and horticulture are studied. A transition is a structural change of a complex system to a new system over a long period of time. The understanding of these processes helps to support ‘change processes’ by the evolution to more sustainable systems.
In the research domain Open space, the agricultural use of open space is studied. The open space in Flanders is restricted. Therefore it is important that it is used in an efficient and qualitative way. Moreover, agriculture is not the only user of this open space, so attention is also paid to the relation with other stakeholders such as inhabitants, industry, recreation, nature, …
The previous mentioned research activities are supported by data management and models.