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Contribution to ZALF research
The central research questions of the Innovation Centre for Agricultural System Transformation (IAT) are:
- Co-development of land use systems: How to develop sustainable land use practices that are in balance with environmental and economic needs in cooperation with local actors.
- Co-development of value networks: How can agricultural value networks and chains be transformed to increase the efficiency and sustainability of regional agricultural systems?
- Participatory evaluation: How can the transformational impact and environmental benefits of solutions applied in the field laboratory be evaluated in a participatory way?
- Analysis and development of Living Labs: What approach contributes to the success and impact of Living Labs? How can the impact of Living Labs be measured and communicated in an agricultural context? What approaches can help improve the effectiveness and transferability of living labs?
- Developing methods for monitoring, data analysis and modelling: What new methods and tools for data collection and analysis can be developed and applied to monitor and model transformation processes in Living Labs?
Working groups in Brandenburg (BB) and Hesse (HE) – in development
Co-Design of land use systems
- Co-developed agroecological arable and grassland systems (BB)
- Co-developed organic vegetable production (HE)
- Co-developed animal-based mixed cropping systems (HE)
- Co-developed mixed crop systems in viticulture (HE)
- Co-developed nature-based solutions in viticultural landscapes (HE)
Co-Design of value networks
- Co-developed new value networks for new products (BB)
- Co-development of strategies for sustainable entrepreneurship (HE)
- Co-developed resilient value networks (HE)
Participatory evaluation
- Participatory assessment of resilient farming systems (BB)
- Participatory assessment of environmental impacts of livestock farming (HE)
Method development (monitoring, data analysis & modeling for living lab research)
- Integrated impact assessment modeling for living labs (BB)
- Development of mobile agricultural environmental sensors (HE)
- AI-based quality assurance and analysis of monitoring data (HE)
Development & analysis of living labs
- International comparative research on the establishment and implementation of living labs, effectiveness & measurement (BB)
- Analysis and evaluation of success conditions and transformation contributions (HE)
Living Lab infrastructures (monitoring, data, models) - Service
- Research data and modeling infrastructures for living labs (BB)
- Integration of natural and social science monitoring (BB)
Coordination and IAT Academy - Service
- Coordination Office and IAT Academy (BB)
- Coordination Office (HE)
The 5 living labs - in development
- East Brandenburg arable farming region (multifunctional and diverse arable farming systems)
- Havelländisches Luch (climate protection and grassland use in fenland regions)
- North Hessian Loess plain (intensified organic farming)
- Hessian low mountain range (integrated plant-animal-agricultural systems)
- Rheingau (multifunctional and climate-resilient viticulture systems)

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