Rita Merkle leads the Science Dialogue at the Sino-German Agricultural Centre (DCZ), a bilateral cooperation project that promotes exchange and research collaboration in agricultural sciences between Germany and China. Organic farming is one of her key areas of work. She authored a comparative study on organic certification in China and Germany and moderated the Germany–China organic trade roundtable at BIOFACH China 2026. She also contributes to DCZ’s policy recommendations for sustainable, climate-resilient food systems.
Before joining DCZ, she worked for many years as an independent consultant, carrying out evaluations and strategic assignments for public-sector clients in Europe and Asia. Her areas included farming systems, food safety and quality, agrifood value chains, and climate change adaptation and mitigation.
