Sessions
2 Technologies
2.1 Contribution of digital tools and technologies to enable Agroecology
Convenors:
Stefan Pfeiffer, AIT Austrian Institute of Technology, Austria
Andreas Meyer-Aurich, Leibniz Institute for Agricultural Engineering and Bioeconomy (ATB), Germany
Agroecology has emerged as a new paradigm for agriculture, invading scientific disourses and policy agenda with the promise to transform agriculture towards sustainability taking into account the capacities of farmers and stakeholders. At the same time digitalisation transforms agriculture and provides opportunities and potential drawbacks for agroecology. Two Coordination and Support Actions (D4AgEcol, Path2DEA) funded by the EU currently elaborate chances and potential pitfalls of digitalisation for Agroecology. This session will provide some insights from the two EU projects and initiate a discussion on the topic.
2.2 Rethinking agri-environment schemes through the use of novel technologies in agricultural production and biodiversity monitoring
Convenors:
Anna Cord, University of Bonn, Germany
Frank Wätzold, BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg, Germany
Rapid advances in agricultural technologies, sensing technology, computing, and artificial intelligence are reshaping agriculture, biodiversity monitoring, and ecosystem management. In this session, we will focus on harnessing these opportunities for the design of novel agri-environment schemes (AES) – the key policy instrument for conserving biodiversity in agricultural landscapes. A focus will be on result-based payment schemes, but we welcome other ideas. Research topics presented could include novel remote sensing to improve compliance monitoring of biodiversity-focused AES, UAV-based or eco-acoustic monitoring methods for result-based payments, or the use of agricultural technologies to enhance biodiversity as part of AES. As this is an emerging field, we welcome pilot analyses as well as concepts and ideas, but especially contributions that integrate ecological, technical, socioeconomic, and agronomic aspects to improve AES for more effective biodiversity conservation. The session will combine short pitch-talks with full presentations, followed by a joint discussion. The session mainly contributes to the “Technologies” theme, but is also closely linked to the “Vision” theme as it discusses the perspective of novel, future AES and also to the “Actors” theme, as farmers and other actors have to adopt the proposed AES.
2.3 Sustainability trade-offs in irrigation-based agricultural transformations
Convenors:
Ahmad Hamidov, Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF), Germany
Shavkat Kenjabaev, International Water Management Institute (IWMI), Uzbekistan
Ulan Kasymov, TUD Dresden University of Technology, Germany
Irrigation plays an important part in economic development of many countries. The role of irrigated agriculture is increasing in response to the growing demand for food, driven by the global population increase and a shift towards more bio-based products. Sustaining agricultural production, particularly in regions undergoing transformative changes, is crucial as it serves as an important source of income for impoverished rural communities. Developing and improving irrigation are major ways for ensuring food provision, providing rural people with employment, and thus, ending poverty in many areas of the world. Irrigation has also been proposed as a key practice to address an extended drought.
Use of innovative technologies in irrigation may increase farm productivity and improve resource use efficiency. However, efficiency improvements in irrigation water use may come with potential rebound effects – adaptive changes in the behavior of farmers and consumers that may actually lead to increased water consumption. Common practices include an increase in irrigated area and a switch to more water-intensive crops. In this session, we aim to discuss about technological innovations and their governance, using examples from Central Asia and other arid regions to explore pathways towards sustainable irrigation practices.
2.4 Supporting agricultural technology through a connected AKIS: what arrangements work best?
Convenors:
David Rose, Harper Adams University, United Kingdom
Kayleigh Crouch, Royal Agricultural University, United Kingdom
The Centre for Effective Innovation in Agriculture is a UK-organisation giving advice on how to target R+D investment to transform farming on the ground. High-income countries spend considerable sums of money on research and development in the area of agricultural innovation. Despite this, it is not always clear that this money makes a tangible difference to practice, which is a crucial element of achieving gains in productivity and other aspects of sustainability. Literature on the agricultural knowledge and innovation systems (AKIS) and micro-AKIS has suggested that fragmentation can constrain the ability of R+D investment to make a difference in practice, and it has also identified a variety of different AKIS arrangements – e.g. state-funded, public-private partnerships. Many countries have engaged in developing varying forms of innovation support services to address these issues, and across the EU, member states are required under the revised CAP to have contextualised innovation support services and AKIS by 2027 (Article 15 of regulation 2021/2015).
Literature has conceptualised AKIS as both an analytical construct and a tool for illustrating actors and networks within a specific context (Germundsson, 2021). The EU Standing Committee on Agricultural Research has highlighted the need for political attention to the relevance and effectiveness of AKIS (EU SCAR 2012). This requirement is attributed to factors including reduced funding, overregulation within innovation policy, limited evaluation criteria, a decline in trust among multiple actors, and competition within knowledge market structures (Hermans et al., 2015).
The proposed session aims to gain insights into the AKIS landscapes following the EU SCAR reflection paper, with the goal of identifying, discussing, and reporting challenges and successful efforts in AKIS defragmentation and their implications on R+D for agricultural technology. The purpose of this session is to bring together case studies highlighting how different types of AKIS arrangements help to target R+D technology investment so that it transforms farming on the ground. We are interested in ‘what works’ and invite international authors to submit case studies identifying key components of a successful AKIS and innovation support service to encourage adoption and scaling of technology – what types of actors should/could be involved, how should/could knowledge brokering be supported, how can fragmentation be avoided, how is it effectively funded? After short presentations, paper authors will be invited to take part in a panel discussion to bring together learnings from across the presentations. If authors are interested, session organisers will seek to arrange a journal special issue arising from the session.
This session is expected to contribute to the transformation of research and development investment into practical farming outcomes. The workshop findings can inform AKIS development for technology uptake both in the UK and the wider EU context. Positive international initiatives will be highlighted, emphasizing their broader impact on productivity, sustainability, and the overall success of agricultural innovation. Conversely, unsuccessful attempts at AKIS defragmentation and R+D will be acknowledged, aiming to provide insights for more effective efforts in addressing these issues within agriculture.
2.5 Microbiome management across scales for sustainable agroecosystems
Convenors:
Session 2.5.1:
Gabriele Berg, Leibniz Institute for Agricultural Engineering and Bioeconomy (ATB), Germany & Graz University of Technology, Austria
Steffen Kolb, Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF) & Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Germany
Session 2.5.2:
Ahmed Abdelfattah, Leibniz Institute for Agricultural Engineering and Bioeconomy (ATB), Germany
Samuel Bickel, Graz University of Technology, Austria
The microbiome is crucial for host’s health and resilience. There is increasing evidence that plant host a dynamic but specific microbiome which is interconnected with agroecosystems, and, in frame of the one health concept, with human health. A recent and broader view on the topic has led to the insight that the action of complex microbiomes are responsible and capable to make plants more resilient against environmental harms such as abiotic stressors (weather extreme due to climate change), and herbivores and pathogens (due to climate change and reduction of pesticide application). Moreover, initiatives to reduce pesticide application and climate change associated weather extremes fosters new solutions to improve sustainability in crop production by microbiome management. The session will bring experts together who will discuss insights into latest developments that have the potential to build microbiome management into modern cropping systems, and across scales, for entire agroecosystems. Since the conference focusses on agroecosystems beyond horticulture, the session’s a focus will be laid on croplands, grasslands and any intensive culture outside buildings. Nonetheless, relevant insights from horticulture systems and microbiome management as well as fundamental research insights can be considered.
2.6 Intercropping for sustainable agriculture
Convenor:
Yingjun Zhang, China Agricultural University, China
Intercropping is a crop cultivation technique that involves growing multiple crop species simultaneously on the same plot of land. This method is increasingly recognized for its potential to enhance crop diversity, promote positive interactions between different species, and improve crop productivity and resource utilization while minimizing environmental risks. Given the global food scarcity, land limitations, and frequent occurrence of disasters, intercropping offers a promising solution to transform agricultural landscapes and enhance the productivity, stability, and sustainability of plantations.
However, intercropping development faces significant barriers, primarily in crop compatibility, management complexity, harvesting and marketing, knowledge and awareness of farmers, economic considerations. To overcome these challenges, it is essential to investigate suitable intercropping patterns that align with local climate conditions, production demands, device compatibility, and regional policies. This session aims to highlight technological innovations for high-yield and high-efficiency intercropping, pivotal approaches towards planting and mechanical technological advancements, and practical and effective intercropping patterns worldwide.
2.7 Sustainable and socially accepted land uses at the interface between agriculture and renewable energy
Convenors:
Alexandra Doernberg, Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF), Germany
Felix Zoll, Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF), Germany
Katrin Martens, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Germany
Sebastian Gölz, Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems, Germany
Astrid Preis, BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg, Germany
During times of environmental and political crises, there is a necessity for research into solutions for a sustainable land use that can secure both food and energy supply. It is crucial to adopt an integrated perspective on the dissemination of new technologies as potential solutions and the perception thereof by affected actors. This session delves into the interplay between agriculture and renewable energy. Implementing renewable energy can improve farmers' income and the viability of agriculture. It is vital to understand under which conditions renewable energies are adopted by farmers, accepted by society, and how to implement them in a participatory and cooperative way.
This session aims to explore the dynamic interconnection between agricultural practices and renewable energy production from different actor perspectives. We will examine four crucial topics, shedding light on significant aspects of the future of agricultural landscapes, including:
- Farmer adoption of renewable energy
- Societal acceptability of related technologies and land uses
- Participatory and cooperative approaches to implement renewable energy
- Managing land use conflicts between agriculture and energy
Aligned with the conference theme, our discussions will contribute to the broader conversation about the future of agricultural landscapes, and the role of renewable energy in their transformation at the interplay of technology and society.