06.07.2023
In an insightful meeting within the framework of “Leibniz im Bundestag” held on July 5, 2023, at the Paul-Löbe-House, Dr. Michelle Bonatti and Associate Professor Stefan Sieber engaged in a productive discussion with Dr. Anton Hofreiter from the Alliance 90/The Greens.
The focus of the one-hour meeting revolved around exploring ways to enhance the resilience of smallholder agriculture in the face of climate change. The discussion primarily centered on the socio-economic factors crucial to the successful implementation of agricultural innovations. The participants also delved into the concept of agroecology and agroforestry. Dr. Hofreiter, in particular, discusses the potential of agroecology within a global context, highlighting its applicability in large-scale cultivation to meet the demands of wholesale and retail markets. Agroforestry was also one of the key topics of the meeting, as a practice that combines agricultural cultivation with the integration of trees holds promise as a strategy to address climate change challenges while simultaneously boosting agricultural productivity.
Dr. Hofreiter expressed his keen interest in the global application of agroecology and its potential to contribute to supply chains for wholesale and retail markets. The discussion touched upon how large-scale cultivation could incorporate agroecological principles to ensure sustainable and environmentally friendly production practices. The meeting concluded with a shared perspective to further research, policy development, and collaboration among stakeholders to foster the adoption of agroforestry and agroecology practices.
Already in May, several discussions between politicians and scientists from ZALF on soil biodiversity and on legumes in agriculture took place within the framework of “Leibniz im Bundestag”.
