Organic Eprints
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Free-Range Pig Husbandry Systems - Case Study Farm_NO_03
Full text linkThis fact sheet describes the free range, organic pig husbandry system on a farm in the south-eastern part of Norway
Enhancing functional biodiversity through increased crop diversification in a strip cropping field
No full textAgricultural production is predominantly conducted in simplified cropping systems with monocultural crop cultivation, with consequences for biodiversity and resulting ecosystem services. Agroecosystem crop diversification, such as strip cropping or intercropping, can increase the functional biodiversity and thus the ecosystem services, such as pest regulation and pollination, provided by arthropod predators and pollinators. The underlying mechanisms of the potential benefits of crop diversification are likely manyfold and includes the availability of food resources for higher trophic level organisms and improved structural and diverse habitats potentially supporting the natural pest regulation. The present study aims to investigate the potential benefits of organic strip cropping under Danish conditions, in a strip cropping field established at Nordic Beet Research, in Denmark. The field design was based on two levels of crop diversification within the field area, representing different number of crop species and strip widths
Økologisk fjørfeproduksjon
Full text linkPdf-fil av presentasjonen "Økologisk fjørfeproduksjon" for prosjektet 3281 Læremateriell for bygninger og uteareal for økologisk husdyrhold, juli 2025. Prosjekteier: NORSØK
«Mich hat der Biolandbau als grösste Herausforderung immer gereizt»
No full textAndi Häseli ist in der Bioszene gut bekannt, ganze vierzig Jahre hat er am FiBL gearbeitet. Ende Mai ist der Fachmann für biologischen Obst- und Weinbau in Pension gegangen
Bio-Lebensmittel mit Hochpreis-Image – eine Studie zu Verbraucherwahrnehmungen
Full text linkDer ökologische Landbau ist ein zentrales Element der Nachhaltigkeitsstrategien von Bundesregierung und EU, mit ambitionierten Flächenzielen bis 2030. Für eine Ausweitung des Bio-Anteils braucht es auch eine starke Nachfrage nach Bio-Lebensmitteln. Allerdings steigen seit Corona-Pandemie und Ukraine-Krieg die Lebenshaltungskosten deutlich, was auch Auswirkungen auf das Kaufverhalten bei Bio-Lebensmitteln hat.
Im Rahmen einer Online-Umfrage mit 724 repräsentativen Teilnehmer*innen wurden Motive, Hemmnisse, Vertrauen, Wissen und Zahlungsbereitschaft in Bezug auf Bio-Lebensmittel untersucht. Hauptmotive für den Kauf von Bio-Lebensmitteln sind Umwelt- und Tierschutz, Naturbelassenheit, sowie die Unterstützung des ökologischen Landbaus. Haupthemmnisse sind vor allem als zu hoch empfundene Preise sowie zu häufige Plastikverpackungen. Zwar gibt es teils noch Skepsis gegenüber der Vertrauenswürdigkeit von Biosiegeln, das Wissen über Bio-Landbau ist aber insgesamt gut ausgeprägt. Gefragt nach ihrer Zahlungsbereitschaft sind die VerbraucherInnen sind Konsumenten bereit, im Durchschnitt für Bio-Produkte einen Aufpreis von 40-70 % zu zahlen, wobei die Erwartungen an die Aufpreise von Bio-Lebensmitteln meist höher als die reale Preisdifferenzsind. Es wird deutlich, dass das Hochpreis-Image und die Überschätzung der Aufpreise die Nachfrage stärker hemmen als der tatsächliche Preis.
Der Vergleich der Verbraucherwahrnehmung von Bio- und regionalen Lebensmitteln zeigt, dass regionale Produkte häufig mit Frische, Transparenz und niedrigen Preisen assoziiert werden, nur bei Tierwohl und Rückstandsfreiheit schneiden Bio-Lebensmittel besser ab.
Die Studie zeigt, dass das Wachstum des Bio-Marktes wird weniger durch tatsächliche Preise als vielmehr durch das Hochpreis-Image, mangelndes Preiswissen und Vertrauen gehemmt wird. Um weitere Umsatzsteigerungen bei Bio-Lebensmitteln zu erzielen sind eine gezieltere und breitere Preiskommunikation sowie die Betonung der Mehrwerte von Bio-Lebensmitteln erforderlich
Protecting organic seeds: Research on seed treatments for organic farming
Full text linkSeeds represent the fundamental basis of agricultural production, accounting forapproximately 90% of the world’s food crops. However, seeds can also serve as a vehicle forthe transmission of plant pathogens that pose a threat to food production. Seedbornepathogens infect seedlings after seed germination, causing diseases that affect both yieldsand crop quality, and therefore have a significant impact on farmers’ incomes and foodsecurity. Furthermore, seedborne pathogens can disseminate within agricultural fields,infecting other plants, and they can often survive in the soil for long time periods until theyencounter new hosts and initiate further infections. Despite the implementation of preventivemeasures to avert the transmission of diseases, the presence of pathogens on seeds and insoil can be inevitable.
In conventional agriculture seeds are treated with chemical fungicides to protect against bothseed-borne and soil-borne diseases. However, organic agriculture demands alternativeapproaches avoiding the use of artificial inputs and that should adhere to European organicregulations. These treatments primarily involve the use of natural compounds (e.g., plantextracts, plant oils, chitosan), physical treatments (e.g., mechanical, thermal), or theapplication of beneficial microorganisms. While these treatments can be highly effectiveagainst certain diseases in specific crops, some crops or crop-pathogen systems still needsolutions suitable for an organic production. Furthermore, treatments that are effectiveeradicating seed pathogens can sometimes have unintended negative effects on seedhealth, such as reducing seed vigor, or negatively impacting the natural seed microbiome,which can also have beneficial roles in seeds. Consequently, further research is necessary toidentify novel seed treatments against specific diseases affecting organic crop production.
At the Research Institute of Organic Farming (FiBL) we are investigating new organic seedtreatments. Our two primary areas of focus are protecting seeds against soil-bornepathogens, and disinfecting seeds infected by seedborne pathogens. In the SeednSoilproject, which is funded by Fenaco, the focus is on investigating seed treatments that protect wheat seeds from soil-borne infections, such as common bunt disease (caused by
Tilletia caries) and snow mold disease (caused by
Microdochium nivale). These diseases have thepotential to cause considerable yield losses in organic farming. In the EU-funded projectLiveSeeding, the objective is to investigate novel seed treatments to sanitize seeds of variousvegetables, and thereby, provide protection against seedborne diseases. These treatmentsare developed to be compatible with the facilities of seed companies, by working togetherwith seed companies in Switzerland (Sativa Rheinau AG), Germany (Bingenheimer SaatgutAG) and Greece (Oikos seeds). Seed treatments with protective potential against plantpathogens have been identified in both projects. These results will be presented
Digitalisierung für den (agrar-)ökologischen Landbau: Chance oder Verhängnis?
No full textDie Digitalisierung in der Landwirtschaft verspricht, deren Effizienz und Nachhaltigkeit zu steigern. Selbst wenn zahlreiche Beispiele dafür existieren, dass digitale Lösungen der Landwirtschaft zugutekommen, bergen sie doch oft Risiken und erfordern eine angemessene Steuerung.
Wir vom Forschungsinstitut für biologischen Landbau (FiBL) sind an dem EU-Projekt PATH2DEA (path2dea.eu) beteiligt, welches darauf abzielt, eine Digitalisierung zu fördern, die der Agrarökologie zugutekommt. Agrarökologie stellt eine Form der Landwirtschaft dar, die auf einen holistischen Ansatz setzt, um Nahrungsmittel umweltfreundlich zu produzieren und dabei den ökologischen sowie sozialen Nutzen steigert. Die Agrarökologie stützt sich auf zahlreiche Prinzipien des ökologischen Landbaus. Das Projekt PATH2DEA fördert den Dialog zwischen verschiedenen Akteuren der Landwirtschaft mittels Umfragen und Workshops, um Empfehlungen für die Nutzung digitaler Tools zu erarbeiten. Hier präsentieren wir einen Überblick über einige Resultate des Projekts und geben einen Überblick zur Diskussion, wie die Digitalisierung den Zielen des agrarökologischen und ökologischen Landbaus dienen kann und was auf der Steuerungs-Ebene dafür notwendig ist. Diese Diskussion wurde im Mai dieses Jahres im Rahmen eines Runden Tisches mit diversen Vertretern der Branche in Brüssel durchgeführt
The organic caravan campaign: celebrating organic food as a modern, healthy lifestyle
No full textCombining education with entertainment, music, dancing, and interactive storytelling, the Organic Food Caravan Campaign in Kenya connected farmers, consumers, and influencers, showcasing organic living as a modern, conscious lifestyle. The campaign was implemented as part of the Sustainable Lifestyle Influencing Approach (SuLIA), developed by FiBL in collaboration with Kenyan partners (KOAN, WOWZI) and the Leopold Bachmann Foundation
Agronomic Performance and Microbial Diversity of Wheat Following Organic and Synthetic Seed Treatments: A Swiss Field Study
Full text linkCrop protection remains a primary research focus, particularly as the world population is increasing, and food security is a top priority worldwide. Several methods of crop protection are incorporated within agriculture, including chemical pesticides. From pre-seeding seed treatment to post-emergence chemicals, pesticides occupy a broad spectrum of different types. Yet, scientists regularly report the dangers of those pesticides to the environment, animals, and humans. In addition, it is becoming evident that pesticides, particularly bactericides and fungicides, have non-specific effects on beneficial soil microbial communities, potentially resulting in a deleterious impact on crops.
We conduct a seven-year field study in collaboration with a network of 20 farmers who aim to minimize the use of pesticides in their agricultural practices, and here report the results of one year. Clean certified seeds have been used for wheat crop cultivation, treated and untreated seeds were used, and the cereals were monitored regarding key yield and sanitary quality parameters. In addition, the rhizosphere bacterial and fungal communities were sequenced and characterized after DNA extraction from soil samples a few weeks after germination. This was achieved through PacBio Revio sequencing of the 16S and ITS amplified regions, respectively.
Our results indicate no difference in emergence, yield, or protein quality between the treated and untreated control groups. In addition, seed treatment did not lead to a higher protection of crops from foliar diseases. The seed treatment did not impact the microbial community composition and alpha diversity. The beta diversity was not significantly different between the two groups, but was driven by soil properties. Our results highlight the potential of omitting seed treatments when using clean certified seeds, and as a result, decreasing the environmental impact of chemical usage in agriculture, as well as saving time and money
Luxembourg - Organic sector factsheet
Full text linkThis factsheet provides an overview of the organic agriculture sector in Luxembourg, including farmland area, market trends, and key figures on organic production. It also outlines CAP policy support, detailing financial allocations, eco-schemes, and strategic goals for organic farming. Additionally, it highlights national action plans and support measures for organic aquaculture and market development