International Agriculture student success

Every year, BFH-HAFL celebrates the achievements of its graduating students. This year, International Agriculture students claimed two of the top bachelor’s programme prizes for their outstanding work and dedication.

Best overall BSc student at HAFL

Noemi Hauser, winner of the best overall BSc student, said her win came as a complete shock, but she was pleased her diligence and perseverance paid off.
 
“I was genuinely surprised when my name was called at the award ceremony,” Noemi said. “I’ve always been satisfied with my grades and knew they were probably above average, but I really didn’t expect this.
 
“I’ve never considered myself a natural talent – I’ve always had to work hard to reach my goals. So, I think what I’m most proud of is that I stayed committed throughout my entire degree, even during the more difficult phases.”

Internship in Costa Rica

Noemi spent six months in Costa Rica for her thesis and worked in an urban community garden to conduct two pot trials to study the effects of three biological agents on the growth, health and yield of lettuce. These products, developed by the University of Costa Rica, had been used in the garden for three years, but no formal trials had been conducted to assess their impact.
 
“I really enjoyed finally putting some things into practice that we’d learned during our studies,” Noemi said, “especially in the context of conducting trials.
 
“Working in the tropics, in a new country, added a whole new layer of learning… It showed me that you can suddenly find yourself faced with challenges you would not have in Switzerland – from logistical differences to adapting to a different pace of work. I learned that things don’t always have to go fast to be effective. Sometimes the answer is patience and flexibility.”
 

Future plans

Noemi currently works as a research assistant in the International Agriculture group at HAFL. When asked about plans for the future and the idea of a ‘dream job’, she is open to many options.
 
“I really like to be outside and to do physical work,” Noemi said. “I enjoy research and the international aspect of agriculture; I’d be very interested to join the Aquaforum team at HAFL; I could also imagine working in development cooperation and to live abroad for some time; or running or working on a farm that experiments with new ideas or produces niche products sounds very appealing, too.

“I think the phrase ‘never say never’ fits perfectly here. I’m open to whatever path feels right when the time comes.”
 
Noemi thanks many people for their support: her parents, classmates, flatmates, HAFL staff, especially International Agriculture’s Pascale Waelti and Nancy Bourgeois Luethi, and her Mission 21 and Latin American Biblical University (UBL) colleagues and new friends in Costa Rica. “I wouldn’t be where I am today without the support of many wonderful people,” she said.

Best BSc in Agriculture student

Andrin Schilliger, awarded best Agriculture BSc student, explored vital sustainability questions in his thesis “The effects of biophysical and socio-economic factors on organic cotton farmers’ soil fertility status in semi-arid India.”
 
“Being part of the on-farm research of the SysCom India project, we measured several soil fertility parameters in farmers’ fields and potential influencing factors,” Andrin said. “If the thesis stood out, perhaps it’s because I had the chance to work on an interesting and relevant topic. 

“I’m most proud of having been part of a project that aims to improve farmers’ livelihoods and promote sustainable agricultural practices.

“It’s nice that we could show that farmers who practice crop rotation, incorporate cotton crop residues into the soil and use sufficient farmyard manure were able to achieve better soil fertility.”

Internship in India

“My internship and thesis would not have been possible without the guidance and support of my supervisors Dr. Akanksha Singh and Prof. Dr. Gurbir Singh Bhullar,” Andrin said.

“I also want to thank the wonderful people working at bioRe India, FiBL, and BFH-HAFL who gave me this opportunity and I had the pleasure to work with.

“My internship was a valuable experience in many ways, making it hard to pick just one highlight. I’m grateful for the unique opportunity to work in such a context and all the experiences I gained from it.”

Future plans

When asked about his future plans and a potential ‘dream job’, Andrin knows the direction he wants to take.

“For me, there is not one work position that I would call my dream job,” he said. “It’s important to me that the work I do carries meaning and benefits the cause of sustainable agriculture. 

“At the moment, I’m not intending to pursue a master’s degree and am happy to focus on applying what I’ve learned.”

Thoughts from the Head of International Agriculture

Reflecting on both students’ achievements, Head of International Agriculture Nancy Bourgeois Luethi highlighted their commitment and consistency.
 
“We always knew that Andrin and Noemi were excellent students and we are very proud of their performance!” Nancy said. “They are perfectionists – dedicated and modest.
 
“We wish all International Agriculture graduates the best for their future endeavours.”