Agroforestry in Central Germany: Challenges and Opportunities

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 […]

Borderland to Pasture: How the Milchschäferei Asbach brings sheep back to life

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 […]

Transforming landscapes: Balancing tradition, agriculture, and nature on a Hungarian cattle farm

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.

Why is it so important to freeze seeds for ages? Exploring Hungary’s Genetic Heritage

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.

Kann regenerative Landwirtschaft ertragreicher sein als konventionelle Landwirtschaft?

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?