Current Research Projects
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Description
The VORWERTS research project investigates and evaluates the adoption of agroecological innovation
and transformative action using the example of wheat-grain legume mixed culture in the real laboratory. Eight
regional organic value chains are involved in the research process in a participatory manner.
The overall aim of the research project is to investigate and optimize the adoption of agroecological innovation and
transformative action using the example of wheat-grain legume mixtures for human
nutrition under practical conditions.
VORWERTS provides guidance for transdisciplinary practical research and develops concrete
recommendations for action for the application and dissemination of wheat-grain legume mixtures
in regional organic value chains. This "use case" is intended to serve as a "blueprint" for future real-world laboratories
and the structured monitoring of relevant agroecological transformation processes.
The overall objective of VORWERTS is structured as follows:
- Evaluation and optimization of agroecological innovation along the entire value chain
from primary production to the consumer using the example of mixed cultivation of winter wheat
and grain legumes for the production of baked goods
- Evaluation and optimization of the production and processing processes of mixed cultivation of baked wheat
along the value chain (cultivation, harvesting, preparation, processing, marketing), harvesting, preparation, processing, marketing)
- Investigation and evaluation of the eco-functional intensification through food-grain crops
and the potentials of decoupling land use competition (fodder production vs. human
nutrition) through mixed cultivation
- Establishment of a practical research approach to analyze and implement agroecological
Innovation in regional organic value chains as a so-called "real laboratory"
- Analysis and promotion of transformative action through co-production of knowledge involving
all actors from production to final consumption.
Editing
- Dr. Torsten Siegmeier
- Prof. Dr. Detlev Möller
Website
More information on the topic: www.vorwerts-projekt.de
Cooperation partner
- University of Kassel, FG Organic Plant Protection
- University of Kassel, FG Agricultural and Food Marketing
- Die Freien Bäcker e.V.
- Atelier Ernährungswende
Duration
01.07.2023 - 30.06.2026
Funding program
BÖLN (Federal program for organic farming and other forms of sustainable agriculture)
Description
Despite proven good growing and baking properties, heterogeneous wheat populations have not yet found their way into the food sector. Within BAKWERT, ecological value chains consisting of farms, mills and bakeries are established in three regions. Two heterogeneous winter wheat populations as well as a reference variety are applied in the three clusters to identify and evaluate the factors relevant for acceptance and diffusion of heterogeneous wheat populations along the entire value chain. The aim is to use a holistic approach to promote the cultivation, processing and marketing of population cereals. Qualitative interviews with the different stakeholders, workshops and field days, participatory methods, as well as field and stand surveys serve as a basis for exploring the value chains. Independent analyses will be carried out by the Institut für Getreideverarbeitung GmbH for the comprehensive evaluation of quality and baking characteristics. Based on these data, optimization potentials along the value chain (cultivation, milling and baking processes) will be developed in a multi-actor process. The communication of the final results will be done by a 'population manual', as well as by a 'population film' produced from participatory videos. Furthermore, all (interim) results and further information will be available on the project website. The overall coordination is the responsibility of the Department of Business Administration at the University of Kassel. Partners are the Department of Organic Plant Protection of the University of Kassel, the LTZ at the Competence Center for Organic Agriculture Baden-Württemberg (KÖLBW) as well as the association Die Freien Bäcker e.V. as contractor.
Editing
- Dr. Torsten Siegmeier
- Prof. Dr. Detlev Möller
Website
BAKWERT - More wheat diversity! From the field to the store counter.
More information: www.weizenvielfalt.de
Get to know us: www.youtube.com/@wheatdiversity
Follow us at: www.instagram.com/bakwert
Latest news at: www.twitter.com/popkruste
Duration
15.05.2020 - 31.10.2023
Support program
BÖLN (Federal Program for Organic Farming and Other Forms of Sustainable Agriculture)
Description
Within the framework of federal funding, synergy effects between the goals of nature conservation, agricultural economics and sustainable regional development are to be established in the biodiversity hotspot region "Werratal mit Hohem Meißner und Kaufunger Wald" and to permanently safeguard the local habitat and species diversity. This is done in two submodules:In
In sub-module 1, conceptual foundations for further projects and measures for the hotspot region as a whole are developed with regard to the above-mentioned holistic model. Newly developed concepts will be integrated into a future-oriented overall concept together with already existing care and measures concepts overlaying the hotspot region.
Sub-module 2 focuses on the continued existence and further development of (herding) sheep as a key factor for the provision of diverse landscape and ecosystem services in the hotspot region and thus implements exemplary measures for which there is a priority need for action. Existing and newly constituted sheep farms are to be supported by an intelligent, nature conservation-related high-quality area network, by optimized marketing strategies and by integration into public relations and tourism concepts, and regional/local actors are to be strengthened in their cooperation. In this way, a sustainable infrastructure is generated that helps to absorb risk factors of sheep farming and is suitable for effectively implementing priority objectives of the National Biodiversity Strategy and the country strategies.Sub-module 2 is based on three pillars that are coordinated with each other and linked in many ways in terms of content: Pillar 1 includes conservation-based measures to optimize, further expand, and connect sheep corridors. These include the long-term securing of land through exchange and purchase as well as the nature conservation-related upgrading of pasture and drift areas along the summer and winter grazing routes. The project-accompanying communication concept from pillar 2 aims at the effective public communication of environmental and nature conservation topics concerning the hotspot, as well as the creation of acceptance and the integration of sheep products into the regional value chain. Pillar 3 accompanies the first-mentioned pillars by means of application-oriented research. Management procedures and measures are analyzed and evaluated in an iterative feedback process, optimized during the course of the project and transferable results are generated from the added value of knowledge.
The partners in the network ensure the success of the project through their expertise in land management (Werra-Meißner district), in maintenance and repair measures, public relations and marketing (Frau-Holle-Land Geo-Nature Park), as well as in project management, network planning and success monitoring (University of Kassel). The necessary linking of the competences of the network partners for the processing of the above-mentioned project focal points is taken into account by the participation of the representatives of all three network partners in the committee work.
Editing
Daniel Mühlrath
Prof. Dr. Detlev Möller
Website
Cooperation partner
- University of Kassel, FG Landscape and Vegetation Ecology
- HLNUG
- Regional Council Kassel
- Association for Regional Development Werra-Meißner e.V.
- State Office of Agriculture Hesse
- District Farmers' Association Werra-Meißner e.V.
- Federal association of professional shepherds e.V.
- Natura 2000-Station Unstrut-Hainich/Eichsfeld
- Sheep farms from the region
- Nature conservation advisory council
Duration
10.2019 - 09.2025
Funding program
BPBV project, funding priority hotspots of biodiversity
Background
A stable landscape water balance mitigates the consequences of climate change. The aim of measure L-19 of the IKSP Hessen 2025 is to adapt the landscape to ongoing climate change in such a way that local climatic effects (summer cooling through evaporation of vegetation) and other services such as water supply, soil fertility, recreational function, local climate and habitat function for animal and plant species are strengthened by increasing the water retention potential of the soil. It stabilizes the material balance in the soil and reduces the risk of soil erosion during heavy rainfall events.
Implementation to date
As a first step, the HMWEVW commissioned an expert opinion in 2018. This was published online in January 2020 under the title "Adaptation to climate change through improved landscape water management". Based on an overarching approach, it describes the role of the landscape water balance in adapting to climate change. The main target groups are people working in state and regional planning. They should receive support in the application of the various planning instruments and measures.
Building on the basic report, the HMUKLV, in coordination with the HMWEVW, has launched a pilot project focusing on agricultural soils. Under the title "AKHWA: Adaptation to climate change in Hesse - increasing soil water retention through regenerative arable farming strategies", scientists from various institutions under the leadership of the University of Kassel want to answer the following questions:
- Can regenerative arable farming improve the water retention function of soils?
- Does an improved water retention function produce a significant temperature reduction in the microclimatic area?
- Does the effect of the system differ between organic and conventional agriculture?
The functional approach is new. Producers (crops), consumers (humans, grazing animals), decomposers (soil organisms in terms of numbers, connectivity) and the site (soil/topography) are considered together with water and the local climate. The aspect of economic efficiency is also integrated. The AKHWA pilot project began in 2020 and is expected to run for four years. Before the project began, a literature review and a survey of farmers were carried out. This preliminary work made it possible to specify the project's research questions and sharpen the experimental design.
The results will not only benefit agriculture by improving soil properties, but also groundwater and flood protection.
Future plans
Until 2024, various trials will be carried out as part of the pilot project to investigate the effects of regenerative arable farming strategies on water retention, soil, vegetation and agricultural yield. The latter is important in order to promote acceptance of the measures. The project takes an integrative approach to water, climate, soil and vegetation. Some of the experiments will take place on the University of Kassel's experimental farm, others on farms. The findings will also be used to parameterize a water balance model that will make it possible to estimate the effect of the cultivation systems even under extreme weather conditions.
At the end of the project, recommendations will be made for advice, support and planning (e.g. spatial planning, compensation planning). In the future, farmers should be able to contribute to the stabilization of the landscape water balance and thus to an increased resilience of the agricultural ecosystem in climate change - and this nationwide.
Further information can be found at
The measure is funded by the state of Hesse
Wiesbaden, 26.06.2020
Project objective:
The overarching aim of the project is to optimize the on-farm utilization of clover grass on organic livestock farms along the supply chain from cutting to application. The focus will be on the low-loss conservation of clover grass, the efficient utilization of nutrients and the economic evaluation of clover grass transfer processes.
Project structure:
The consortium of practitioners, consultants and scientists has set itself the scientific and technical goals of (i) developing a composting process for clover-grass with a focus on minimizing nitrogen losses, (ii) determining the fertilizer effect of the composts in comparison with other clover-grass transfer processes in multi-year field trials and (iii) carrying out the economic evaluation (line-cost calculations) of various clover-grass fertilization strategies to improve nutrient management on the basis of practice-relevant production and application processes and making them available for practical use.
Work packages:
1. optimize the composting process
- Determine suitable C/N ratio
- Determine suitable material mixture of clover grass, straw and wood-rich structural material
- Determine suitable turning frequency
- Determine suitable timing and quantity of delayed addition of a N-rich substrate
2. test the fertilizing effect of the clover-grass transfer fertilizer
- A total of four field trials with summer and winter cereals for comparative testing of the composts produced
3. economics of different clover-grass transfer strategies
- Identification of typical farm constellations
- Creation of a cost-performance model taking into account nutrient flows and technical and monetary elements to analyze individual farms
- Implementation of practical model calculations
Editing
- Dr. Benjamin Blumenstein
- Prof. Dr. Detlev Möller
Cooperation partner
- Department of Organic Agriculture and Crop Production, University of Kassel (Christian Bruns and Verena Jalane)
- LLH (State Agency for Agriculture Hesse, Dr. Thorsten Haase)
- Bioland GmbH (Stephan Gehrendes)
Duration
01.05.2019 - 31.12.2023
Funding program
BMEL (Federal Agency for Agriculture and Food)
BÖLN (Federal Program for Organic Farming and Other Forms of Sustainable Agriculture)
Description
Here, everyone is pulling together: In the five-year, nationwide NutriNet project, practitioners, advisors and scientists are working together on the question of how to improve nutrient management in organic farming.
On many long-standing organic arable farms, the main nutrients nitrogen, phosphorus and sulfur are increasingly being used to a minimum. In vegetable production, nutrient surpluses are sometimes observed. At the same time, good examples from practice show that higher yields can be achieved through optimized nutrient management. But how can nutrients be optimally circulated within the farm and how can nutrients that leave the farm cycle be replaced? Many individual aspects of nutrient supply have already been well researched, but it has not yet been possible to optimally transfer the existing knowledge into agricultural practice.
This is where the NutriNet project comes in. With the help of a nationwide competence and practical research network, it aims to identify successful nutrient management strategies, develop them further with practitioners and test them in order to derive concrete recommendations for action for practical farms. To this end, practical research trials are taking place on a total of 60 organic farms, which are grouped into six regional networks nationwide. The regional networks also aim to further develop methods of practical research. Alongside the project, a data management system is being developed to support data collection, storage and evaluation in the project and, in future, as an online application, to facilitate the monitoring of the success of nutrient management strategies for extension and practice. All project activities are accompanied by a continuous knowledge transfer, which aims at a timely implementation of the existing knowledge in practice, consulting and vocational training.
Editing
Dr. Benjamin Blumenstein
Prof. Dr. Detlev Möller
Website
www.nutrinet.agrarpraxisforschung.de
Cooperation partner
- Bioland Consulting GmbH
- Federation of the Organic Food Industry (BÖLW)
- Demeter e.V.
- FiBL Projects GmbH
- University for Sustainable Development Eberswalde (HNEE)
- Competence Center Organic Agriculture Lower Saxony (KÖN)
- Board of Trustees for Technology and Construction (KTBL)
- Chamber of Agriculture North Rhine-Westphalia (LKW NRW)
- Öko-BeratungsGesellschaft mbH - Expert advice for Naturland
- University of Kassel, FG Business Administration
Duration
2019 - 2024
Support program
BMEL project, BÖLN