Ulrich Schmutz

Ulrich Schmutz is a Professor of Organic Horticulture and Ecological Economics at Coventry University, UK. He co-founded the university’s research centers on agroecology (CAFS, CAWR) at Ryton Organic Gardens. His research focuses on transdisciplinary approaches combining social and natural sciences with practical knowledge in ecological food systems. He specializes in organic/agroecological horticulture, ecological economics, urban agroecology, and governance of sustainable food systems. He has led numerous EU-funded projects such as UNDERTREES, AGROMIX, and AE4EU.

Education: PhD from Humboldt University Berlin (international tree-physiology project), MSc in Agricultural Engineering/Economics from TU Bonn and LMU Munich, BSc in Philosophy from LMU Munich.

Key research interests include agroforestry, vegan organic farming, and socio-ecological return on investment. He advises on policy and has collaborated with institutions like the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). His work contributes to UN SDGs related to sustainable food systems and environmental protection.

Grants & Projects: Principal Investigator in 7 EU projects including UNDERTREES (2022–2025) and AGROMIX (2020–2024). Active in editorial roles for journals like Sustainability.

Labs/Teams: Leads Coventry’s agroecology research teams and collaborates with global partners on living lab frameworks and urban food systems.