EPIKUR

EPIKUR assesses agricultural production potentials consisting of yield gaps and unused land resources in Kazakhstan, Ukraine, and Russia. Yield gaps are estimated by combing spatially explicit crop growth models with farm-level efficiency analyses. A spatial allocation model is used to estimate production potentials of abandoned land. Future production potentials are assessed under scenarios of technological progress, climate change, and the economics of recultivation. The assessment of production increases includes a trade‐off analysis between CO2 emissions and the economic benefits of recultivation. EPIKUR contributes to building a strong network for advancing the science and understanding of agricultural potentials in transition economies.

• Humboldt-Universität Berlin, Germany

• Leibniz Association, Joint Initiative for Research and Innovation, Germany

The following theses are part of the project:

• The potential of Russia to increase its wheat production through cropland expansion and intensification (Carried out by: Florian Schierhorn)