Research Interests

• Forest and environmental policy analysis
• Socio-ecological sustainability of a bioeconomy
• Agricultural transformations
• South Asia

Studies

2015-2019

M.Sc. Environmental Governance, Albert Ludwigs University of Freiburg

2011-2015

B.Sc. Sociology and Anthropology, Lahore University of Management Sciences

Career

Since 06/2019

Doctoral Researcher, Centre for Econics and Ecosystem Management,

Eberswalde University for Sustainable Development (HNEE)

TRANSECT – Agrarian and Social-Ecological Complexities Local Bioeconomy Scenarios in Central and South Asia (BMBF, 05/2019 – 04/2024)

​​​​​2019 – 2019

Research Assistant, Chair of Societal Transition and Circular Economy, University of Freiburg

Circulus:  Opportunities and Challenges of Transformation Towards a Sustainable Circular Bio-Economy (BMBF, 2016 – 2021)

​2018 – 2019

Research Assistant, Chair of Forest and Environmental Policy, University of Freiburg

POLYFORES: Decision-making Support for Forest Ecosystem Services in Europe – Value Assessment, Synergy Effects and Trade-Offs (BLE/BMEL, 04/2017 – 03/2020)

2017 – 2017

Intern, German Corporation for International Cooperation (GIZ)

Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+)

I​​​​​​nitiative in Himalayas (BMUB, 2013 – 2019)

Field Research

2023

1 month of fieldwork on agricultural innovations in Punjab, Pakistan.

2022

2 months of field work and participatory workshops on sustainable agricultural future(s) in Multan district, South Punjab.

2021

4 months of field work on agricultural policy (dis-)integration in South Punjab and Islamabad.

2020

2 months on local farmers shifting away from cotton in the cotton belt in Multan district, South Punjab, Pakistan

2019

2 months of explorative fieldwork on current agricultural transformations and land use changes in four districts of South Punjab, Pakistan

2017

5 months on interlinkages between community forestry, agricultural sector, and UN-REDD+ program 



Publications

Zuberi, M., Spies, M., Ø. Nielsen, J.Ø. (2024): Is there a future for smallholder farmers in Bioeconomy? The case of ‘improved' seeds in South Punjab, Pakistan. Forest Policy and Economics Volume 158. Special issue on ‘Bioeconomy Governance in the Global South: State of the Art and the Way Forward’.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.forpol.2023.103100

Spies, M., Alff, H., Raab, C., Zakirova, A., Zuberi M. (eds.)(2023): Sustainable Food and Biomass Futures? Localised Approaches to Agricultural Change and Bioeconomy. Eberswalde. https://doi.org/10.57741/opus4-837.

Zuberi, M., Raab, C., Spies, M. (2022) Landnutzungswandel im Baumwollgürtel Pakistans. Gen-Baumwolle, Agrardiversifizierung und ökologische Herausforderungen im Süden des Punjab, Geographische Rundschau 75/4, 20-25.

Spies, M., Zuberi, M., Mählis, M., Zakirova, A., Alff, H., Raab, C. (2022) Towards a participatory systems approach to managing complex bioeconomy interventions in the agrarian sector. Sustainable Production and Consumption.

PDF  | https://doi.org/10.1016/j.spc.2022.03.020

Zuberi, M. (2021) "Between Disconnects and Flows: Reflections on Doing Fieldwork in Rural South Punjab during the Covid-19 Pandemic," In: Südasien-Chronik - South Asia Chronicle 11/2021, pp. 521-540, Südasien Seminar der Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, pp. 521-540. 

PDF | https://www.iaaw.hu-berlin.de/de/region/suedasien/publikationen/sachronik/sachronik

Luo, A., Zuberi, M., Liu, J., Perrone, M., Schnepf, S., Leipold, S. (2021) Why common action and interest are not enough for environmental cooperation. Lessons from the Chine-EU cooperation discourse on circular economy. In: Global Environmental Change, 71.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2021.102389

Zuberi, M. (2020): “Agriculture in flux: Insights into agricultural transformations and possible scenarios in South Punjab, Pakistan.” In: Follmann, A., Müller, J. und Falk, G. C. (Hrsg.): Aktuelle Forschungsbeiträge zu Südasien: 10. Jahrestagung des AK Südasien, 24./25. Januar 2020, Freiburg, Heidelberg; Berlin: CrossAsia-eBooks, 2020 (Geographien Südasiens, Band 12), pp. 31-34.
https://doi.org/10.11588/xabooks.796