FiBL

On-Farm Network

Living lab

The Research Institute of Organic Agriculture FiBL maintains and fascilitates a wide ENoLL-certified on-farm network as a living lab platform. The collaboration with farmers and other stakeholders is the foundation of the living labs aiming at innovating farming practices.

Background information

Aim

Improving organic farming and facilitating innovative approaches for a climate resilient and sustainable future.

For over 40 years, FiBL Switzerland has been developing knowledge and solutions for organic farming in close collaboration with interested, innovative farmers. In 2021, this on-farm network was certified as Living Lab by ENoLL.

Funding structure

The on-farm network and the manifold projects that build up on it are funded by the research institute. This includes basic funding by the Swiss Federal Office for Agriculture (FOAG) and third-party funding by e.g. other federal offices, cantonal authorities, private organizations and EU projects.

Achievements

  • Dynamic on-farm network and good collaboration, learning opportunities for all.

  • Testing innovations e.g. weeding robot in organic sugar beet production or strip cropping.

Picture by Tim Schmid (FiBL)

Picture by Thomas Alföldi (FiBL)

Methods and tools

  • Active listening to farmers’ needs, discussion and inspiration for new projects takes place all year round and is essential to be up-to-date and to source the network.

  • Exchange with stakeholders to design on-farm experimentation is project specific and may be more top down or fully co-creative depending on the project nature.

  • Prototyping by setting up on-farm trials is a core feature of all projects.

  • Evaluation and exchange on trial results delivers feedback and inspiration for further collaboration.

  • The core method is positive exchange assuring a win-win balance between researchers/advisors and stakeholders.

  • Dedicated methods within projects include e.g. workshops, working groups and farmers field days.

“We farmers request for more genuine collaboration at eye level. That definitely took place today, which I appreciate very much.”
— FiBL Switzerland

Further information

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