12. März 2025 : Thomas Falk from IFPRI and CGIAR visited the Department of Environmental Economics

On the 26th of February 2025, Thomas Falk, a renowned Research Fellow in IFPRI’s Natural Resources and Resilience Unit visited the Department of Environmental Economics and the Institute of Environmental Systems Research (IUSF).

Thomas Falk, affiliated with the International Food Policy Research Institute IFPRI and the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research CGIAR, visited Osnabrück University to present on “Experiential Learning to Support Collective Action.” He demon-strated how group dynamic games can serve as intervention tools to foster social learning and behavioral change for collective action in managing shared resources. These games, adapted for stakeholder engagement, can foster constructive interactions among resource users in favor of self-governance.

Falk shared insights on game design, the role of experiential learning in system transformation and col-lective action, and large-scale applications of the approach. He also introduced embodiment practices in the context of facilitating system transformation processes. He shared his experiences with applying embodiment practices to facilitate system transformation processes. He has used these practices to invite participants to intuitively experience and reflect on water and food systems, uncover blind spots, reflect upon desirable behavioral changes and futures, and build shared visions.  In the afternoon, he demonstrated these practices to members of the Department of Environmental Economics and the IUSF, offering a hands-on experience of this innovative approach.