Research

The third dry year in a row has had a devastating effect on agriculture and forestry. What does climate change mean for agriculture and the landscape? Dried out plants, streams without water and discontinued shipping drastically show the need for action. If the amount of rain cannot be influenced, distribution, reduced runoff or an adapted economic system may be a solution that will also secure the long-term existence of agriculture. [...more]

Funding: Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt

Characterization and utilization of solar energy in Kenya to improve agricultural productivity, food security and livelihoods

The main objective of the study is to close a knowledge gap in solar technologies for agriculture to improve agricultural productivity, food security and livelihoods in Kenya through collaboration with German institutions that have demonstrated success in solar energy adoption. The objective is to model spatial and temporal solar energy availability in the different parts of Kenya to determine the viability of solar energy utilization for agricultural applications such as solar irrigation, crop drying, evaporative cooling, solar cooking and industrial water heating in Kenya, furthermore development of solar equipment for off-grid electricity

Cooperation with Dr. Duncan Onyango Mbuge, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya

Financing by:  Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft

Optimisation of Recirculating Water Treatment Process for a Smart Communal Hand Washing System

COVID-19 is an infectious disease caused by the most recently discovered novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. This prompted the Government of Uganda to take bolder steps aimed at curbing the rapid spread of COVID-19. Such steps include extensive promotion of handwashing with soap and clean water. Handwashing still remains limited among some communities in Uganda, due to water scarcity. Moreover, with the increased practice of handwashing among the populace, a significant amount of wastewater is generated, which is merely left to go down the drain. Using wastewater treatment technologies, the handwashing wastewater can be treated, and subsequently recycled for similar purposes. With the activated carbons produced from our ongoing research, we propose to develop a low cost wastewater treatment system for incorporation in the communal hand washing systems.

responsible : Dr. Peter W. Olupot Department of Mechanical Engineering, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda

supported: Volkswagenstiftung

The SmartFence Project aims to promote grazing by developing a self-maintaining, digital fence system. The potential benefits of grazing for animal welfare, climate and environmental protection and efficient resource consumption, are vastly underutilized. [more...]

responsible : Carsten Bruckhaus

The funding initiative aims at the development and sustainable reinforcement of research in Sub-Saharan Africa and is open to all disciplines. A primary objective is to provide junior researchers in Africa with an opportunity to enhance their skills and academic qualifications and to open up future prospects in their home countries. Besides supporting African-German research cooperation, a special focus has always been on the development, reinforcement, and extension of academic networks within and beyond the African continent.

[more...]

responsible :  Joana Albrecht

The aim of the project is to develop a sensor system to monitor automatically the condition of the lashing equipment in cargo securing. It allows the driver to be informed immediately if the lashing equipment is loosened by means of an optical and acoustic signal. The loosening is determined by acoustic sensors on the vehicle body, which measure the vibration frequency of the lashing equipment. A loosening of the lashing leads to a change in the vibration frequency, which is evaluated by the software.  [more ...]

responsible :  Ulrike Wilzek , Boris Kulig

Drying is the most widely used method of long-term foodstuffs preservation. Currently employed drying methods result predominantly in a low retention of product quality. Polyphenols, carotenoids, and vitamins are some of the most important nutritious substances which are very sensitive to heat. Furthermore, physical attributes undergo severe changes during the thermal processing. [more ...]

responsible :  Dr. Arman Arefi

Development of smart and low energy input processing chains, natural food additives and colourants, and supportive material for a code of practice to increase sustainability and consumer acceptance of organic food stuffs [more ...]

coordination :  Dr. Barbara Sturm

responsible : Gardis von Gersdorff

Maize is the main staple cereal in many African countries and especially in Kenya where it accounts for about 40% of daily calories. Kenya lies within the equatorial tropics and is renowned as a world hot-spot for aflatoxins, a very dangerous mycotoxin, i.e. toxic and carcinogenic compounds associated with fungal colonisation of foods. Mycotoxins are highly prevalent in Kenya’s food supplies (as in most African countries too). [...more]

Projektverantwortlich : Dr. Franz Roman 

SoundWeld - Acoustic monitoring as an in-process quality assurance method for pressure welding processes. [...more information coming soon]

responsible Dr. Hubertus Siebaldund Dipl.Ing. H.H. Kaufmann

EcoStack  - Stacking of ecosystem services: mechanisms and interactions for optimal crop protection, pollination enhancement, and productivity [...more]

Projektverantwortlich : Dr. Sascha Kirchner

SAMS enhances international cooperation of ICT and sustainable agriculture between EU and developing countries in pursuit of EU commitment to UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG N°2) “End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture”. [...more] 

Projektverantwortlich : Dr. Sascha Kirchner

The research aims to identify and assess critical barriers towards the dissemination and uptake of renewable energy post-harvest processing of underutilized, indigenous fruit and vegetable crops in three Western African countries [more ...]

Project Coordinator – Dr. Habil. Barbara Sturm

Project Management Team – 

Bastian Lange and Sharvari Raut

Ziel des Vorhabens ist es die handwerkliche Milchverarbeitung in Hessischen Hofkäsereien nachhaltig durch die systematische Erfassung typischer und komplexer Käsefehler, die Entwicklung von Vermeidungsstrategien und die innovative Dokumentation als andwenderfreundliche Datenbank zu verbessern. [mehr...]

Projektverantwortlich : Dr. Edith Kalka

Within the framework of the German Innovation Partnership for Agriculture (DIP), this project  aims to develop a user-friendly and efficient irrigation system for vegetables grown on ridges.

responsible : Prof. Dr. Oliver Hensel

Development of an optimized hydrothermal process for the treatment of fermentation residues from biogas plants

Unlike other renewable energy technologies, biogas plants produce energy independently of weather conditions. In sufficient size and number, biogas plants already contribute crucially to cover the basic load of electricity consumption. [...more]

responsible : Dr. Franz Román 

The object of the collaborative project is the development and construction of a grinding assist system for  forage harvesters based on acoustic measurements of cutting noises. [...more]

responsible : Dr. Hubertus Siebald

Current EU pig production has suboptimal resource utilisation, resulting in unnecessarily high emissions and wastes. This has much to do with outdated building standards, control systems and barn management approaches. [...more]

coordinator : Dr. Barbara Sturm

responsible : Dr. Abozar Nasirahmadi

The goal is the development of a new process, which produces particularly cost-effective filtration membranes based on extruded foams of thermoplastics. [... more]

responsible : Dr. Christian Dede

The massive increase of slugs can cause damage or even complete losses in agricultural crops Until now, farmers have been unable to intervene, since mechanical control measures can not be carried out after sowing and the chemical control by granules has a retarding effect. [... more]

responsible : Christian Höing

By the end of the market regulation of sugar beets in 2017 the acreage of sugar beets will expand. This leads to a longer process time with a longer storage period on the field (up to three months). At this time the reduction of losses will become more important. [...more]

responsible :   Ulrike Wilczek & Roman Kälberloh

Animal welfare is one oft he most important quality indicators in livestock production for many consumers and of rapidly growing social relevance. Still measuring animal welfare can be quite difficult. An important factor for animal welfare in cattle farming is the detection of lameness, which is caused by diseases of the claws and limbs. [...more]

responsible : Boris Kulig

In the temperature range between 100-250 ° C, the so-called "Scheffler reflectors" of the company Simply Solar currently are the best available solutions in scientific and technical point of view.  Under this program, the worlds first production of a paraboloid with variable stiffness is developed as GRP construction . New and innovative design and developments are e.g. a low-loss transfer of solar radiation heat to the secondary system components. [more...]

responsible : Dr. Christian Dede

The objective of the project is to provide an in-depth evaluation of novel functional traits and associated environmental descriptors as a pre-requisite a) for the implementation of organic breeding strategies for local dual-purpose cattle kept in organic production systems, and b) for preventive livestock health management.  [... more]

responsible : Dr. Uwe Richter

AgriFI is a novel, FIWARE-based service that allows farmers to:

1. Get accurate and real-time predictions of possible disease outbreaks in their crops. Farmers can customize the system by activating or setting up rules and conditions that will trigger specific actions related to diseases, such as informing the farmer by email/SMS or contacting experts, when a disease model reach specific condition.
2. Get up-to-date information (including text, photos, and videos) about diseases affecting their crops.
3. Capitalize on the Flspace platform to communicate with the pan-European farmers’ community who share the same problems and discuss possible solutions.

[... more]

verantwortlich : Prof. Dr. Oliver Hensel

[Translate to englisch:] Laut einer Studie der FAO verderben gegenwärtig ein Drittel aller produzierten landwirtschaftlichen Güter weltweit (1,3 Milliarden Tonnen pro Jahr) was einem gesamtwirtschaftlichen Schaden von 750 Milliarden USD entspricht [1]. Hierbei sind die Verluste bei Obst und Gemüse mit bis zu 50% besonders hoch. Gleichzeitig leiden mehr als 800 Mio. Menschen weltweit an Mangelernährung  [... more]

responsible : Dr. Barbara Sturm

Development and construction of a machine for installing subsurface irrigation tubes with :
a) easy handling
b) possibility to vary the laying depth depending on soil type
c) possibility to vary the tube spacing depending on the type of cultivated plants
 [...more]

responsible : Dr. Andrea Dührkoop

Aflatoxin contamination in maize is documented to cause loss of life and post harvest losses in tropical countries. It results when farmers who depend on direct sunlight to dry their grain are instead faced with rain during the harvest. This project addresses this problem by attempting to use super absorbent polymers (SAPs) to help dry maize in places where it is not possible to apply electricity or fossil fuels. [... more]

responsible : Dr. Franz Román

Annual cereal grain losses of up to 50% in cereals and 100% in pulses have been reported, with average losses of 20% .Major insects that attack cereals and pulses include grain weevils, grain borers, grain beetles and grain moths. Pest prevention, early detection and monitoring help to reduce grain losses during storage. [... more]

responsible : Anastasia Wanjiru Njoroge

Production of processed organic food is mostly carried out by SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises) who are currently facing a double challenge: Consumer awareness and legal standards require high quality as a precondition for successful marketing but there is a lack of corresponding knowledge leading to significant quality losses and up to 40% of raw material loss. [... more]

responsible : Dr. Barbara Sturm

The number of biogas plants in Germany continues to increase. Due to aging, technical defects and design defects significant gas leaks (mainly methane) may occur.  [...more]

 responsible : Prof. Dr. O. Hensel

Constantly increasing fuel costs are a significant part of the operating effort of today farms and affect directly the competitiveness and operating income. In the Agriculture with its voluminous crops (grass, corn silage, straw, etc.) is crushing one of the important basic procedures.  [... more]

responsible :  Dr. Hubertus Siebald

In this PhD-Work with the topic “Research and description of quality changes from agricultural products during drying” the quality characteristics of agricultural products are analyzed before, during and after drying. Agricultural products are cabbage, potatoes, bananas, tomatoes, red beet, chilies, pineapple, mangoes and onions for example. [...more]

responsible : Saskia Arendt

The overall objective of the GREENFOODS project is to lead the European food and beverage industry towards high energy efficiency and reduced fossil carbon emissions in order to ensure and foster world-wide competitiveness, improve the security of energy supply and guarantee sustainable production in Europe.  [... more]

responsible : Dr. Barbara Sturm

The project is founded by the Federal Office for Agriculture and Food and is planned for 3 years. It deals with the optimization of quality hay production by the reduction of losses and improvement of the production process. [ ... more]

responsible : Dr. Björn Bohne

This project proposes implementation of precision agriculture technologies and methods in the beekeeping. Precision agriculture approach is adapted for beekeeping based on the various measurements of individual bee colonies all year around thus detecting different states of colonies and apiaries enabling rapid reaction by the beekeeper in case of necessity.  [...more]

responsible : Dr. Uwe Richter

Reduzierung von Nachernteverlusten, Wertschöpfung durch Verarbeitung [... mehr]

Projektverantwortlich : Michael Hesse

Sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam.)  is at present cultivated in more than 100 countries worldwide. Most of the producer nations are situated in tropical developing countries where a high proportion of the poorest people live. [... more]

responsible : Dr. Joseph Korese

In sub-Saharan Africa significant losses are as a result of a number of factors which include insufficient drying, inadequate storage, insufficient cooling and poor transport - all of which rely on high levels of energy input. Decentralised, distributed food processing supported by distributed energy supply can not only improve food security but also provide employment and income generation in rural communities. The local processing of food enables better storage and easier transportation, longer shelf-life, reduced seasonal supply effects, and produces products with added value. [... more]

Project Manager: Dr. Barbara Sturm

In Germany, cereals, oilseeds and grain legumes contribute in the form of food crops as well as in-house feed significantly to the success of agriculture businesses. Therefore the avoidance of yield losses due to storage pests is important for German agriculture.  [... more]

Projektverantwortlich :  Dr. Uwe Richter + Dr. Hubertus Siebald + Hans-Hermann Kaufmann

Scientific objectives

• developing and testing of the water saving subsurface irrigation technology
• field tests in Algeria and Kenya with a prototype
• investigation of the retention capacity of the pipe material against dissolved mineral salts and of salinization effects
• assessment of the suitability for low quality irrigation water
• development of appropriate installation technology
• identify barriers for the implementation of the new irrigation technology

...[more]

responsible:  Dr. Andrea Dührkoop

Essential quality aspects are the typical texture and visual appearance of food. For liquid foods with particles, such as stews or fruit preparations, the integrity of the particles in the liquid phase is a key quality criteria.

Therefore pumping suspensions is a critical process step, which is especially crucial for these characteristic properties of the particles. A high quality of the suspension can be ensured by choosing suitable pump types. Special attention should be paid to the pump components in contact with the product and the process factors. A food producer relies mostly on his own experience finding the best suited pumps and settings for the respective food suspension. Possible improvement potentials cannot be exploited due to the lack of objective examinations. [...more]

responsible : Christian Schmitt (M.Sc.)

Africa currently lags behind all other regions in terms of farm productivity levels, with depressed crop and livestock yields. Its agricultural sector is confronted with numerous constraints, such as soil erosion and degradation, increasing salinity, excessive tapping of groundwater and persistent droughts (IFAD 2010). [... more]

responsible : Dr. Andrea Dührkoop

The joint R&D project run by the Institute for Agricultural Engineering and Weber
Ultrasonics Weld & Cut GmbH is developing an economic production methodology for auto-regulative subsurface irrigation pipes. [... mehr]

responsible : Dr. Christian Dede

In this study the technical and economic aspects of biogas vs. bioethanol production are compared. [... more]

responsible : M.Eng. Monica Lopez Velarde Santos 

This study focused on the water supply system of the City of Harare with a view to investigate and assess water loss management strategies [... more]

responsible : Dr. Eugine Makaya

The project goal is to provide a belt dryer for small capacities using a novel data acquisition and process control system using control of product quality to efficiently and continuously produce high quality agricultural products. [mehr...]

Projektverantwortlich : Dr. Anna-Maria Nuñez Vega

Maize is a staple food crop in Kenya that is grown in all agro-ecological zones and on two out of every three farms. It accounts for about 40 percent of daily calories and has a percapita consumption of 98 kilograms (www.fao.org). Over 85 percent of the rural population derives its livelihood from agriculture with a majority engaging in maize production ... [more]

Projektverantwortlich : Dr. Isaiah Muchilwa

Particular work is focusing on quality aspect of food drying at medium scale along with the collaboration of INNOTECH company. [... more]

responsible : Dr. Wasseem Amjad

The research project focuses on the variable site-specific strip irrigation in agriculture and horticulture due to innovation of linear move irrigation systems. [... more]

responsible : Daniela Schwarz

Established slaughtering systems include capture, transportation, confrontationwith foreign conspecifics and eventually the delivery to the stunning box and an immobilization inside the box.  [... more]

responsible : Stefanie Retz und Dr. Katrin Schiffer

Objectives: To establish downscale evidences on the extent of land use land cover changes in particular expansion of crop farming activities over time and its implication sequestration potentials. [... more]

responsible : Dr. Mike Mgalula

Flame weeding as a weed control method is essential in vegetable crops like carrot, beetroot, onion and field salad. [... more ]

responsible: Dr. Björn Bohne

Especially in organic livestock there is a demand for high protein and domestically produced animal feed.  Here the fermentation of both rapeseed cake (RKK with about 8% residual oil) and of rapeseed meal (RES without any residual oil) is a successful measure to produce such a feed inlarge production scale.

[... more]

responsible : Prof. Dr. Oliver Hensel

The objectiv of this research project was to develop a computerized instrument for calculating and determining the optimal heat output from agricultural biogas plants.

 [... more]

responsible : Prof. Dr. Oliver Hensel

Soil compaction is a serious problem in agriculture, adversely affecting plant growth and causing lower yields. Now satellites are being used to help aerate the soil. [... mehr]

Projektverantwortlich : Dr. Martin Holpp

The Project is developed by the Research Group on Biomass and Optimization of Thermal Systems – BIOT of the National University of Colombia in cooperation with the Department of Agricultural Engineering of the University of Kassel (DIA) for the aromatic plants production company Morenos Ltda. [... more]


posdoctoral research : Dr. Patricia Cuervo Andrade

The soil borne pathogen Rhizoctonia solani is of increasing importance since organic seed potatoes are compulsory in organic potato production. No convincing measure to control the disease is available for organic production.

[... more]

responsible : Dr. Björn Bohne

The project adopts a practice-oriented research approach and focuses it on loose livestock and livestock weak ecologically managed cash crop farms. The main focus is to ensure possibilities for improving the performance of legumes in pure stands and mixed cultures. [... more]

responsible : Dr. Björn Bohne

The most common type of banana grown in Uganda is the cooking type, the triploid acuminate genome group (AAA-EA) locally called matooke. [... more]

responsible : Dr. John B. Kawongolo

A diet, which is rich in carotenoids, offers health-related advantages with regard to degenerative diseases. This claim is associated to the antioxidative potential of the carotenoids which can be classified in carotenes and the oxygenated xanthophylls.   [more ...]

responsible : Dr. Severin R. Thierau

Fore some time compost is due to the nutrient content and attractive costs a valuable substrate in agriculture. [...more]

responsible : Dr. Björn Bohne

For the first time  the Volkswagen Foundation supports in its Africa Initiative the engineering sciences. Together with two European foundations they want to open up new opportunities for young scientists in Africa.

In sub-Saharan Africa the engineering sciences are still  at the beginning. With applied research projects, african scientists might help to find adequate solutions to problems such as scarcity of resources or issues of food and energy supply  .

The aim of this founded project is to develop  certifiable standards for products in terms of environmental sustainability. The founder is promoted with the EXIST-Seed grant since September 2011.

Mentor: Prof. Dr. Oliver Hensel
www.angewandte-wirtschaftsethik.org

Based on experimental and theoretical work, a system for the low temperature drying of agricultural products using solar driven sorption will be tested and improved both in pilot and demonstration facilities.

[... more]

responsible : Franz Roman

For the quality and hygiene assurance  a major determinant is the processing method and defines the quality of the product. A majority of the quality losses are a direct consequence of inappropriate handling. For the production of high quality, hygienically pure commodity, a method must be used which minimizes the direct contact between food and humans.  [more...]

responsible : René Careño

In order to understand the behavior of the domestic pig, take a look at his next of kin, the wild boar. [... more]

responsible : Dr. Uwe Richter & Dr. Nicola Jathe

The main objective of this research is develop dryer equipment that allows differential drying and the separation of different plant tissues of products, so as to save energy in the process. [... more]

Projektverantwortlich : Dr. Fernando Lozano Osorno

The aim of this work is to investigate the influence of pretreatment on drying rates of chili pepper (Capsicum annum L.) at various air temperatures and pretreatment methods. Chilies were pretreated mechanically, chemically as well as by a combined form before drying. Moisture content changes were determined [...more]

responsible : Muhidin Rebato

The goal of this project is the development of a camera-sensor system for site-specific working depth control in conservation tillage (especially minimum tillage)and to develop the prototype of an online·capable camera sensor for measuring percent residue cover, appropriate image acquisition equipment and exposure conditions were investigated and different image processing algorithms for segmenting images inte residue and soil were written with the help of commercial software.

[... more]

responsible : Dr. Florian Pforte

The aim of the project funded from April 2010 "cottage garden" is to build organic community gardens in the Berlin area. The use of powerful agricultural machinery, combined with an individual garden design are the cornerstones of the intelligent cultivation concept.

In potato cultivation stones  may disturb the production process. In cooperation with the KTBL Experimental Station Dethlingen the new procedure "Beetseparierung" is to be investigated, in which the admixtures outside of the beds are stored and remain there during the growing season.

[... more]

responsible : Burkhard Wulf

The two founders are graduates of the Department of Organic Agricultural Sciences in Witzenhausen. The aim is the implementation of a hygienic slaughtering process from extensively kept animals . The two agricultural engineers are promoted in 2009 through the EXIST Gründerstipendium.

In the cultivation of tree crops, water is a critical input factor and irrigation is necessary in all European countries. As a matter of fact, input requirements in an orchard vary in space and time due to the variability of climate, soil and plant growth. Spatial patterns of soil and plant properties can be regarded as a 3D-Mosaic. [... more]

responsible:  Dr. Florian Pforte

The major causes of soil degradation worldwide are the impacts of modern agriculture practices, although farming depends completely on soil. The protection and development of soil fertility have been one main objective for the founding of the organic agriculture movement. Since this time the discussion about the suitable tillage system for organic farming is ongoing.

[... more]

Projektverantwortlich : Dr. Birgit Wilhelm

The aim of the EXIST-funded project gnulogy is the development and commercialization of a thin-client based IT infrastructure for research and educational institutions in the agricultural field. A specially designed computer cluster provides the necessary and energy saving power. The implementation is carried out exclusively with free software. The three team members are graduates of the Faculty of Organic Agricultural Sciences.

The founders are graduates of the Department of Organic Agricultural Sciences in Witzenhausen. The aim of the project isto  increase the  efficiency and environmental effects in biogas plants. The two agricultural engineers were funded by the EXIST Gründerstipendium.

The aim of the foundation project is the production and marketing of food products on the basis of Dioscorea batatas. This is based on the development of a sensor-controlled cultivation technology. The three founders have studied Organic Agricultural Sciences in Witzenhausen. 

Energy-optimized drying technology. The two founders, who studied agricultural engineering in Witzenhausen, are working on a method to optimize the drying process for fruits. They are developing a sensor-controlled drying plant for the production and marketing of high quality dried fruits. 

1 Place at  the founders' contest promotion Northern Hesse 2006. The two founders of the Department 11 - Organic Agricultural Sciences, Department of Agricultural Engineering in Witzenhausen work in the field of agricultural engineering and  focus on the harvesting of flowers, leaf and grain drugs of specialty crops. The EXIST SEED funding team consists of three and thes develop special machine prototypes.

To determine the structural stability and the sustainability of manure mattresses with different recycled litter, already the first studies were made in the past. Deininger et al. (1998) developed a simple measurement technique that could detect the stability of a crap mattress. [... more]

Poster

The aim was, inter alia,  to determine criteria for a straw distributing machine to improve animal litter systems [... more]

The aim of the project funded by the Deutschen Bundesstiftung Umwelt and in cooperation with the company   Bergmann conducted in Goldenstedt  was the development of a  precise universal spreader vehicle for the application of  bio-compost.  [... more]

Herkömmliche unstrukturierte Stallsysteme mit Voll- oder Teilspaltenböden ermöglichen es Schweinen nicht, die ihnen arttypischen Verhaltensweisen auszuleben. Solche Stallsysteme sind aus der Sicht der Tierschutzes kritisch zu bewerten, sie werden vielfach vom Verbraucher und von der Öffentlichkeit nicht akzeptiert. Eine Alternative kann hier die Freilandhaltung von Mastschweinen bieten. Allerdings liegen über die Freilandhaltung von Mastschweinen in unseren klimatischen Breiten bisher noch relativ wenige Erfahrungen vor. [ mehr ... ]