Meet Fatemeh Adelisardou
“Interacting with people and seeing the impact of my work make me feel alive. Sometimes limitations are only in our head, and we can work to break through them.”
Let’s meet Fatemeh Adelisardou, PhD student in the Agroecological Transitions group, which is linked to the SAE group. Fatemeh is from Iran, and she graduated in Environmental Planning, Management and Education. After working as a researcher in different countries in Europe and Asia, she is currently evaluating the transition from traditional to organic agriculture of Iranian rice farms.
Why is it important for you to conduct this type of research in your country?
“Iran is rich in natural resources, and it is a rice exporting country. People are usually surprised after learning that rice is also produced organically in Iran. Thus, I am happy to share knowledge and less-known facts about my country.”
What do you think about your first PhD fieldwork experience?
“For the first time in my career, I had the chance to work with farmers and perform interviews across 150 farms in Iran. I loved finally being able to do something in the real world! Finding a common language between researchers and farmers can be challenging, but I was glad to establish respectful collaborations and to gain the trust of farmers to exchange views and knowledge about agroecological transitions on their farms. It would be nice to see this knowledge transferred from farmer to farmer over time.”
What memories have you brought back with you from your many work trips? What have they taught you?
“I remember going on the farm at 5 in the morning to avoid the heat and observe the procedures behind the “rice-duck co-culture”, which is a traditional and 100% organic way of growing rice in Iran. I was observing the ducks reaching the fields in the morning and going back to their shelters at night. Also, some farmers appreciated our collaboration and gifted me organic rice and fruit, and I was grateful for it. These experiences and many others during my trips thought me to be flexible, creative and to believe in the power of collaboration.”
What do you foresee for your future career?
“I would like to stay in Switzerland and to work between research and industry to also see the final product of my work. And to the question « What will you do after your PhD? », as many people do, I playfully answer that I would like to open a bakery or a restaurant someday, but with organic products.”
If you are curious to know more about Fatemeh’s research, visit the project website.
You can contact her via e-mail for more questions:
