Funding priority

Our agricultural systems are facing major challenges

Climate change

With the effects of climate change, the risk of crop failures due to weather extremes such as floods and prolonged dry periods will continue to increase in the future. At the same time, the land available for agriculture is limited and even decreasing, e.g. due to soil erosion or salinization.

Species extinction

Current industrial agriculture is considered a major cause of species extinction and biodiversity loss. The growing demand for production areas continues to lead increasingly to the destruction of fragile ecosystems and the loss of important ecosystem services.

Population growth

In less than 30 years, there will be more than ten billion people on earth - that's about 2.4 billion more than today. To feed all the world's people, agricultural production will have to increase dramatically.

Urbanization

More and more people are pushing from the countryside into the city: According to UN calculations, around 80% of people will be living in cities by 2050. Food production must adapt to this trend.

Trade conflicts

Geopolitical instability, economic foreclosure and pandemics can be additional factors of uncertainty. Trade conflicts are already affecting the availability of agricultural products.

Transformation

Agricultural production is criticized as a contributor to climate change due to its considerable greenhouse gas emissions and high resource consumption.
However, even though agricultural production currently contributes to many environmental and climate problems, it also has great potential to establish itself as an innovative industry of the future.

 

Vision and Mission

The agricultural economy is facing major and diverse challenges. But what kind of agricultural economy are we aiming for and how do we want to achieve it? As the »Agricultural Systems of the Future« funding program, we have asked ourselves these questions and summarized our vision and mission in statements.

Our Vision

»Our vision is a fair, reliable and responsible agricultural economy from countryside to city that places people and the environment at the center. For sustainably produced food on every plate.«

Fair

The efforts of the farmers is recognized, including good working conditions, economic security and an adequate income along the entire value chain.

Responsible

The agricultural systems are sustainable and environmentally friendly and take ecosystem management into account. The aim is to reduce emissions and lower the usage of resources. Chemical synthetic pesticides are not used and biodiversity and soil fertility are promoted.

Reliable

Resilient and resistant production systems safeguard food production even in times of climate change and pandemics and make it economically viable in the long term.

Our Mission

»Our mission is to transform the agricultural economy in the direction of the bioeconomy. To achieve this, we investigate, develop and conduct tests of innovative solutions in dialog with all stakeholders. From farm to fork - and back.«

 

Aspects of the Transformation

Transfer of the principles of the bioeconomy to the agricultural economy

Sustainability

New material flows, circulation-oriented

Linking ecology and economy

Inter- and transdisciplinary research in dialogue with society as a whole

Use of real laboratories and living labs

Research/promotion of bioeconomic innovations

Design and implementation of system solutions

Participation for the development of socially accepted solutions

Systemic view

Value chain from farm to fork and back again

Enabling synergies via networking

System openness without established path dependencies