This October, I traveled to Monterrey, Mexico, for a meeting of the Global Bioeconomy Alliance (GBA) at Tecnológico de Monterrey. For the past 20 years, much of my research has focused on how we can use land, water, genetic material, and modern technology to produce fuels and chemicals from renewable resources. Most of the conferences […]
Meeting Pioneers of the Bioeconomy in Monterrey, Mexico Read More »
Abstract The CGIAR should establish a bioeconomy center in the Global South. The bioeconomy uses biological resources to produce food, fuels, materials, and medicines. It can address climate change, preserve biodiversity, reduce pollution, and create rural income — but only where supply chains connect feedstock to markets. Traditional CGIAR centers specialize in growing crops; this
The CGIAR should establish a Global Bioeconomy Center Read More »
Secular pragmatism or messianic nationalism: the choice that will shape Israel’s future People frequently ask me what’s going on in Israel. Here is my take. Israel’s right to exist is not the question First, I have no doubt about Israel’s right to exist as a state. Most countries were built through conflict and the transfer
Israel at a Crossroads Read More »
I was very saddened to learn about the death of Andy Schmitz on October 8, 2026. Andy was a mentor, a colleague, and a friend, and I owe him a lot, both as a scholar and as a person. He was extremely important to me when I was a graduate student and a young faculty
Remembering Andy Schmitz Read More »
For more than two decades, the Galbraith Award and lecture have been a major feature of the summer meetings of the Agricultural & Applied Economics Association, or AAEA. At this event, a leading scholar, usually an economist, delivers a lecture presenting new ideas and methods and exploring their relevance to agricultural economists. The annual T.W.
The Origin of the Galbraith Award Read More »
For the past five years, I have traveled to Texas A&M in college Station to collaborate with the ag econ people there. I have served on dissertation committees, worked with devoted students, and published several papers with them. One, on climate change, is among the best papers I have produced in recent years. These visits have
Between Berkeley, CA and College Station, TX Read More »
Last week, I participated in a workshop sponsored by the International Association of Agricultural Economists at Oxford honoring the late Uma Lele. The workshop made me appreciate what a creative, dynamic, and consequential agricultural economist she was. It also gave me an opportunity to stay at Christ Church College, and think about universities, tradition, excellence,
Empowerment, development and generosity-Remembering Uma Lele at Oxford Read More »
Professor Eithan Hochman of the Hebrew University, a graduate of our department at Berkeley, a frequent visitor to Berkeley, and a collaborator and friend of many of us, passed away in Rehovot, Israel, at the age of 95. Eithan was an important part of my life for more than fifty years, and in many ways,
Remembering Eithan Hochman: Scholar, Mentor, Adventurer, and Friend Read More »
The emergence of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in the mid-1990s raised major questions. What would their impact be on yields, costs, profitability, pesticide use, and the environment? Who would benefit from the technology, and who might lose? How should intellectual property rights be managed? What were the implications for international trade, and what role would
Combining Knowledge with Fun in Ravello Read More »
When I was eight years old, my father began taking me to synagogue on Shabbat. We were living in Israel, and my family was what Israelis called traditional. We did not drive on the Sabbath or light a fire, though we did turn electric lights on and off. My father went to the synagogue every
The Encyclopedia That Gave Me a Choice Read More »