dr.ir. L (Loekie) Schreefel

Dr. ir. Loekie Schreefel is a postdoctoral researcher at Wageningen University & Research in the Farming Systems Ecology group. His research focuses on designing, monitoring, and modeling resilient farming and food systems, with a particular emphasis on regenerative agriculture.

Loekie holds a BSc in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Applied Sciences and an MSc in Biosystems Engineering from Wageningen University. During his studies, he specialized in designing sustainable large-scale production systems for edible insects, collaborating with major industry players (e.g., Proti-Farm) and research institutes (e.g., the Danish Technological Institute) to assess the environmental impact of insect production through modeling and empirical research.

His PhD research (Schreefel, 2023) focused on the transition toward regenerative agriculture, addressing key questions such as:

• What does regenerative agriculture mean? (Schreefel et al., 2020)
• How can regenerative agriculture be tailored to farmers? (Schreefel et al., 2022)
• When can food system actors be considered regenerative? (Schreefel et al., 2024)

This research was part of TiFN’s (Top Institute for Food and Nutrition) Regenerative Farming project, which united scientists, sector organizations, farmers, and food chain companies to define the characteristics of regenerative agriculture in the Netherlands and develop a pathway for its implementation by 2050.

As a postdoctoral researcher, Loekie continues to advance regenerative agriculture through the coordination of two major projects:

1. The Nest – Regenerative Agriculture in Europe, which explores regenerative agriculture across Europe with three core objectives: 1) mapping the landscape of actors engaged in regenerative agriculture, 2) investigating the knowledge sources that shape farmers' decisions on regenerative practices, and 3) assessing the availability of key data (soil health, biodiversity, etc.) to support a comprehensive database.
2. ReGeNL, a national program designed to transition 1,000 Dutch farmers toward regenerative agriculture by learning from 100 pioneering farmers. Loekie leads a work package focused on modeling regenerative agriculture across spatial scales.

Beyond research, Loekie is actively involved in fostering on-the-ground impact by serving on the scientific advisory boards of WeAreTheRegeneration, Soil to Soul, and Regen10. These organizations work to promote grassroots initiatives, enhance consumer awareness of regenerative agriculture, and translate scientific research into actionable strategies across the food system.

For more information:

Loekie Schreefel’s PhD research: [...]
TiFN’s Regenerative Farming project: [...]
The Nest – Regenerative Agriculture in Europe: [...]
ReGeNL: […]