A Blog of the ZHAW Zurich University of Applied Sciences
A post by Theresa Collmann, Michela Daraio, Ralph Carlo Evidente, Madhavi Parajuli, Svenja Steckel Agroforestry systems combine rows of trees, shrubs with arable crops (silvo-arable) and pasture (silvo-pastoral). They offer potential for increased biodiversity, more resilient agriculture, and additional sources of income. Yet their implementation is complex and often costly – how can agroforestry practices […]
A post by Khulan Gansukh, Claudia Heidemann, Naomi Koepfli, & Van Dao Sheep are often underestimated as livestock, and their numbers in Germany continue to decline [1]. Yet they provide milk and meat, while also playing an important role in nature conservation. At Milchschäferei Asbach, Raphael welcomed us to the farm and shared both the challenges and […]
How to save one of the world’s most threatened amphibians, and why does it matter? A post by Verena Simon-Kutscher, Sidra Yousaf, Yanna Raykov and Paul Birkner The black olm (Proteus anguinus parkelj, Fig. 1) is one of the most endangered amphibians in the world. It is found in an area of less than 10 […]
A post by Artur Falcette, Adèle Garret, Robert Mäntler and Dominique Schwarz How Slovenian salt makers have been thriving for 700 years at protecting biodiversity Salt production in coastal regions, an activity that involves the transformation of natural coastal areas into salt flats, can generate significant environmental and social impacts. The conversion of ecosystems such […]
A post by Nina Trdan, Chiara Gasperini, Soraya Negri and Clara Körner Leaving the motorway and entering the city of Koper, you find yourself in the heart of an urban coastal area, with offices and shopping centres on one side and the port of Koper on the other. Looking around, it is hard to imagine […]
In the countryside of Hungary there is a story of resilience, adaptation and transformation – the story of Csaba Szabó and his farm. His journey began in the turbulent times of the economic crisis starting in 2008, when Csaba and Anett Szabó decided to seek an alternative path. They made the bold decision to buy a small farm and embarked on a journey that changed the course of their lives.
The genetic resources of and within crop species and their wild relatives form the basis of our food production system. They allow varieties to evolve and adapt to changing conditions and are valuable for further breeding programs. However, the genetic diversity of plants is currently decreasing. Hence, it is important to preserve as much of our genetic heritage as possible. During our summer school on agrobiodiversity in Hungary, we had the opportunity to visit the country’s largest genebank, the National Centre for Biodiversity and Gene Conservation (NBGK) in Tápiószele.
Um bis 2050 eine Bevölkerung von fast 10 Milliarden Menschen nachhaltig ernähren zu können, muss das Ernährungssystem revolutioniert werden1. Ein möglicher Ansatz ist die regenerative Landwirtschaft, welche eine ganzheitliche, naturnahe und ökologisch nachhaltige Lebensmittelproduktion zum Ziel hat. Doch kann mit diesem Ansatz gleich viel oder sogar mehr produziert werden als mit konventioneller Landwirtschaft und so eine zunehmende Bevölkerung ernährt werden?
Die Landwirtschaft in Berggebieten und dessen Einfluss und Folgen werden kontrovers diskutiert. Hierbei stellt sich die zentrale Frage: Soll in Berggebieten weiterhin Landwirtschaft betrieben werden, oder sollen diese Gebiete der Natur überlassen werden?
Dass Bakterienkulturen für die Käseherstellung industriell, standardisiert und unter sterilen Laborbedingungen gezüchtet werden, scheint auf den ersten Blick beruhigend und sicher. Beim genaueren Hinschauen ergibt sich aber ein differenzierteres Bild.