PD Dr. Yaghoob Jafari

We offer courses at master level  on the state-of-the-art of quantitative economic modeling of food systems, allowing for hands-on experience with economic models developed and applied by us. We also offer course courses through which students gain an overview on theories of international trade explaining trade patterns between countries, apply the theories and understand their limitations. 

• Partial and General Equilibrium Modeling
• Applied Modeling of Agricultural Systems
• Applied Trade Theory and Policy

We additonally offer  a one-week block course on advanced GAMS modeling as part of the "Doctoral Certificate Progam in Agricultural Economics" jointly managed by German speaking universities with an agricultural economics programs.

Recursive-dynamic multi-regional CGE modelling (Doctoral Certificate Program in Agricultural Economics) every two years, jointly with Wolfgang Britz

Advanced CGE modelling - gaining a critical understanding of how model configuration impacts results (Doctoral Certificate Program in Agricultural Economics) every two years, jointly with Wolfgang Britz

Engemann, H., Jafari, Y., Heckelei, T., 2025. Institutional quality and the duration of agri-food trade flows. Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy. doi.org/10.1002/aepp.13509

Jafari, Y. (2025). Price differences between organic and conventional products in e-commerce. German Journal of Agricultural Economics 74(2025), 1-19. doi.org/10.52825/ocp.v5i.2342 

Tirgariseraji, M., Nejadhashemi, A.P., Sabouhi, M., Jafari,Y. Persson, T., Mirzabaev,  A., Nikouei, A.,  Moller, K., Naser Shahnoushi, N. (2025), Assessing the Impact of Nitrogen Regulatory Policies on Fertilizer Use and Food Production Elasticity. Journal of Cleaner Production, 145218. doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2025.145218

Jafari, Y., Engemann, H., Zimmermann, A. (2024). The multiple dimensions of resilience in agricultural trade networks. Q Open, 4(2), qoae024.doi.org/10.1093/qopen/qoae024

Tabe-Ojong, M.P.J.,., Nana, I., Zimmermann, A ., Jafari, Y. 2024. Trends and evolution of global value chains in food and agriculture: Implications for food security and nutrition. Food Policy, 127, August 2024, 102679. doi:10.1016/j.foodpol.2024.102679

Tirgariseraji, M., Nejadhashemi, AP., Jafari, Y., Persson, T., Sabouni, M. S., Mirzabaev, A., Nikouei, A., Foroushani, N. S. (2024). Exploring the instability in the food security due to nitrogen fertilizer regulatory policy. Food and Energy Security, 2024;13:e549. doi.org/10.1002/fes3.549

Tirgariseraji, M., Persson, T., Jafari, Y., Sabouni, M. S., Mirzabaev, A., Nikouei, A., Foroushani, N. S. (2024). Aiming at low nitrogen leaching diets based on nitrogen fertilizer regulatory policy: A regional bio-economic assessment of the Zayandeh-Rud river basin-Iran. Journal of Environmental Management, 351, 119650. doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.119650

Jafari, Y, Engemann, H and Zimmermann, A. (2023). Food trade and regional trade agreements–A network perspective. Food Policy 119.C (2023). doi.org/10.1016/j.foodpol.2023.102516

Jafari, Y., Shang, L., Kuhn, A.,  Heckelei, T. (2023). The national and regional Impact of the EU Bioeconomy Strategies on the Agri-Food Sector: Insights from Germany. German Journal of Agricultural Economics, 72, 2023. doi.org/10.30430/gjae.2023.0274

Jafari, Y., Engemann, H., Heckelei, T., Hainsch, K. (2023). National and regional economic impacts of changes in Germany's electricity mix: A dynamic analysis through 2050. Utilities Policy, 82, 101583. doi.org/10.1016/j.jup.2023.101583 

Britz, W., Jafari, Y., Nekhay, O., Roson, R., 2022. Assessing inequality and poverty in long-term growth projections: A general equilibrium analysis for six developing countries. Economic Modelling 117, 106066. doi.org/10.1016/j.econmod.2022.106066

Engemann, H., Jafari, Y., Heckelei, T., 2022. Institutional quality and the duration of agri-food trade flows. Journal of Agricultural Economics. doi.org/10.1111/1477-9552.12491. 

Engemann, H., Jafari, Y., 2022. COVID-19 and changes in global agri-food trade. Q Open 2(1),1–26. doi.org/10.1093/qopen/qoac013.

Taghvaee, V.M., Nodehi, M., Arani, A.A., Jafari, Y., Shirazi, J.K., 2022. Sustainability spillover effects of social, environment and economy: mapping global sustainable development in a systematic analysis. Asia-Pacific Journal of Regional Science. doi.org/10.1007/s41685-022-00231-0.

Jafari, Y., Koppenberg, M., Hirsch, S., Heckelei, T., 2022. Markups and export behavior: Firm‐level evidence from the French food processing industry. American Journal of Agricultural Economics. doi.org/10.1111/ajae.12292.

Jafari, Y., Britz, W., Guimbard, H., Beckman, J., 2021. Properly capturing tariff rate quotas for trade policy analysis in computable general equilibrium models. Economic Modelling 104, 105620. doi.org/10.1016/j.econmod.2021.105620.

Jafari, Y., Himics, M., Britz, W., Beckman, J., 2021. It is all in the details: A bilateral approach for modelling trade agreements at the tariff line. Canadian Journal of Agricultural Economics 69, 415–442. doi.org/10.1111/cjag.12271.

Shang, L., Jafari, Y., Heckelei, T., 2020. Market and welfare impact assessment of the target price- based subsidy program in the Chinese cotton market. The Asian Journal of Agriculture and Development 17(1), 53-70. doi.org/10.37801/ajad2020.17.1.4.

Jafari, Y., Dudu, H., Roson, R., Sartori, M., 2020. Can food waste reduction in Europe help to increase food availability and reduce pressure on natural resources globally? German Journal of Agricultural Economics 69(2), 143–168. doi.org/10.30430/69.2020.2.143-168.

Jafari, Y., Britz, W., 2020. Brexit: an economy-wide impact assessment on trade, immigration, and foreign direct investment. Empirica 47, 17–52. doi.org/10.1007/s10663-018-9418-6.

Othman, J., Jafari, Y., 2019. Economic valuation of an urban lake recreational park: Case of Taman Tasik Cempaka in Bandar Baru Bangi, Malaysia. Sustainability 11, 3023. doi.org/10.3390/su11113023.

Jafari, Y., Britz, W., Beckman, J., 2019. The impacts to food consumers of a Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership. Bio-based and Applied Economics 7 (2), 139–160. doi.org/10.13128/bae-7672.

Jafari, Y., Britz, W., 2018. Modelling heterogeneous firms and non-tariff measures in free trade agreements using Computable General Equilibrium. Economic Modelling 73, 279–294. doi.org/10.1016/j.econmod.2018.04.004.

Jafari, Y., Othman, J., Kuhn, A., 2017. Market and welfare impacts of agri-environmental policy Options in the Malaysian Rice Sector. Malaysian Journal of Economic Studies 54(2), 179–201. doi.org/10.22452/MJES.vol54no2.1. 

Jafari, Y., Othman, J., Witzke, P., Jusoh, S., 2017. Risks and opportunities from key importers pushing for sustainability: the case of Indonesian palm oil. Agricultural and Food Economics 5(13). doi.org/10.1186/s40100-017-0083-z.

Jafari, Y., Zimmermann, A., Yahoo, M., Farhadi, M., 2017. Economic liberalization and the environmental Kuznets curve: some empirical evidence. Journal of Economic Development 42(1), 1–16. doi.org/10.35866/caujed.2017.42.1.001.

Jafari, Y., Tarr, D.G., 2017. Estimates of ad valorem equivalents of barriers against foreign suppliers of services in eleven services sectors and 103 countries. World Economy 40(3), 544–573. doi.org/10.1111/twec.12329.

Jafari, Y., Othman, J., 2016. Impact of biofuel development on Malaysian agriculture: A comparative statics, multicommodity, multistage production, partial equilibrium approach. Food and Energy Security 5(13), 192–202. doi.org/10.1002/fes3.84.

Othman, J., Jafari, Y., 2016. Identification of the key sectors that produce CO2 emissions in Malaysia: application of input–output analysis. Carbon Management 7(1-2), 113–124. doi.org/10.1080/17583004.2016.1178451.

Ghasemi, M., Wan Daud, W.R., Alam, J., Jafari, Y., Sedighi, M., Aljlil, S.A., Ilbeygi, H., 2016. Sulfonated poly ether ether ketone with different degree of sulphonation in microbial fuel cell: Application study and economical analysis. International Journal of hydrogen energy 41(8), 4862–4871. doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2015.10.029.

Jafari, Y., Ismail, M.A., Othman, J., Mawar, M.Y., 2015. Energy consumption, emissions and economic growth in Bahrain. Chinese Journal of Population Resources and Environment 13(15), 297–308. doi.org/10.1080/10042857.2015.1078493.

Jafari, Y., Othman, J., 2015. A comparative static, partial equilibrium, multi-commodity model for Malaysian agriculture. Malaysian Journal of Economic Studies 52(2), 205–226. https://mjes.um.edu.my/index.php/MJES/article/view/2792.

Othman, J., Jafari, Y., 2014. Selected research issues in the Malaysian agricultural sector. Jurnal Ekonomi Malaysia/Malaysian Economic Journal 48(2), 127–136. https://www.ukm.my/jem/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/jeko_482-11.pdf.

Othman, J., Lip, G.H., Jafari, Y., 2014. Benefits valuation of potable water quality improvement in Malaysia: the case of Kajang Municipality. International Journal of Water Resources Development 30(4), 621–634. doi.org/10.1080/07900627.2013.876851.

Sarmidi, T., Hook Law, S., Jafari, Y., 2014. Resource curse: new evidence on the role of institutions. International Economic Journal 28(1), 191–206. doi.org/10.1080/10168737.2013.787110.

Othman, J., Jafari, Y., Sarmidi, T., 2014. Economic growth, foreign direct investment, macroeconomic conditions and sustainability in Malaysia. Applied Econometrics and International Development 14(1), 213–223. https://ideas.repec.org/a/eaa/aeinde/v14y2014i1_16.html.

Othman, J., Acar, M., Jafari, Y., 2013. Towards OIC economic cooperation: Impact of developing 8 (D-8) preferential trade agreement. The Singapore Economic Review 58(2), 1350009. doi.org/10.1142/S0217590813500094.

Jafari, Y., Othman, J., 2013. Potential Economic Impacts of the Malaysia-US Free Trade Agreement. Journal of International and Global Economic Studies 6(1), 33–47. https://www2.southeastern.edu/orgs/econjournal/index_files/Page410.htm. 

Ghasemi, M., Daud, W.R.W., Ismail, A.F., Jafari, Y., Ismail, M., Mayahi, A., Othman, J., 2013. Simultaneous wastewater treatment and electricity generation by microbial fuel cell: performance comparison and cost investigation of using Nafion 117 and SPEEK as separators. Desalination 325, 1–6. doi.org/10.1016/j.desal.2013.06.013.

Ghasemi, M., Daud, W.R.W., Rahimnejad, M., Rezayi, M., Fatemi, A., Jafari, Y., Somalu, Manzour, A., 2013. Copper-phthalocyanine and nickel nanoparticles as novel cathode catalysts in microbial fuel cells. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy 38(22), 9533–9540. doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2013.01.177.

Jafari, Y., Othman, J., Shaari, A.H., 2012. Energy consumption, economic growth and environmental pollutants in Indonesia. Journal of Policy Modeling 34(6), 879–889. doi.org/10.1016/j.jpolmod.2012.05.020.

Othman, J., Falatehan, R., Jafari, Y., 2012. Genuine savings for Malaysia: What does it tell? International Journal of Management Studies 19(1), 151–174. https://e-journal.uum.edu.my/index.php/ijms/article/view/10365.

Jafari, Y., Ismail, M.A., Kouhestani, M.S., 2011. Determinants of trade flows among D8 countries: Evidence from the Gravity model. Journal of Economic Cooperation & Development 32(3), 21–38. https://jecd.sesric.org/pdf.php?file=ART10092201-2.pdf.

Othman, J., Jafari, Y., 2011. Effects of cooking oil subsidy removals on related markets in Malaysia: A comparative static, multi-commodity, multi stage production approach. International Journal of Management Studies 18(2), 121–144. https://e-journal.uum.edu.my/index.php/ijms/article/view/10351.

Othman, J., Jafari, Y., 2011. Accounting for depletion of oil and gas resources in Malaysia. Natural Resource Research 21(4), 483-494. doi.org/10.1007/S11053-012-9192-2.

Othman, J., Jafari, Y., 2010. Does ASEAN freer trade benefit Malaysia? Aussenwirtschaft, University of St. Gallen, School of Economics and Political Science, Swiss Institute for International Economics and Applied Economics Research, 65(2), 191–214. https://ideas.repec.org/a/usg/auswrt/2010652191-214.html.

Engemann, H., Jafari, Y. & Zimmermann, A. 2024. Diversity of food supply across countries and the impact of international trade. Background paper for The State of Agricultural Commodity Markets 2024. Rome, FAO (fortchcoming)

Jafari, Y., Engemann, H. & Zimmermann, A. 2024. Nutrient adequacy across countries and the impact of international trade. Background paper for The State of Agricultural Commodity Markets 2024. Rome, FAO (forthcoming)

Jafari, Y., Engemann, H., Zimmermann, A., 2022. The evolution of the global structure of food and agricultural trade: Evidence from network analysis. Background Paper for The State of Agricultural Commodity Markets (SOCO) 2022. Rome, FAO. Link

Britz, W., Jafari, Y., Nekhay, O., Roson, R., 2022. Modeling trade and income distribution in six developing countries: A dynamic general equilibrium analysis up to the year 2050. Rome, FAO. Link

Britz, W., Dudu, H., Fusacchia, I., Jafari, Y., Roson, R., Salvatici, L., Sartori, M., 2019. Economy-wide analysis of food waste reductions and related costs. JRC Technical Reports. Link

Zimmermann, A., Benda, J., Webber, H., Jafari, Y., 2018. Trade, food security and climate change: conceptual linkages and policy implications. Background Paper for The State of Agricultural Commodity Markets (SOCO) 2018. Rome, FAO, 48. Link

Jafari, Y., Britz, W., 2016. Prospects of the food processing sector under tariff and non-tariff measures liberalization in the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership. Agricultural And Resource Economics Discussion Paper. Link

Jafari, Y., Tarr, D.G., 2014. Estimates of ad valorem equivalents of barriers against foreign suppliers of services in eleven services sectors and 103 countries. World Bank Policy and Research Working Paper, No. 7096. Link