Bananas from Ecuador, Swiss cheese, French red wine, Argentinian steaks, Kenyan coffee, pepper from Vietnam – much of what we eat has been imported into Germany from other countries. Agricultural imports add variety to our plates. On the other hand the German agricultural sector also exports its products – and...

A collection of short examples of initiatives/projects related to new entrants into farming (mostly small scale)

Following ICES advice for 2017, LIFE’s Members of the Baltic Region (including Poland, Sweden, Denmark and Germany) elaborated the following action plan, to be presented to decision-makers, with concrete proposals for a correct management of the Western Baltic Cod stock. Cod is one of the main sources of income for...

Following ICES advice for 2017, LIFE’s Members of the Baltic Region (including Poland, Sweden, Denmark and Germany) elaborated the comments and highlights below, to be presented to decision-makers, with concrete proposals for a correct management of Baltic stocks. 

The region of Europe and Central Asia is blessed with a wealth of crop, livestock, fish and forest genetic resources in diverse production systems. Unfortunately those resources are suffering from overexploitation, misuse and degradation and require immediate attention.

Nearly 61% of EU young farmers consider the availability of land for purchase and 57% the availability of land for rent as the most difficult challenges they face, often due to issues such as land ownership laws, inheritance rules and land prices, according to a new external report published by...

Aquaculture is the farming of aquatic organisms, e.g. fish, and hydroponics is growing plants in a soilless medium. Aquaponics couples both systems. The nutrient-rich water from the fish unit is used as fertiliser for the hydroponically grown crops, therefore significantly reducing the sewage of the fish component. However, larger aquaponic systems...

This publication is designed to provide readers with a compilation of facts and figures about German farming, allowing them to form their own opinions about farming and farming-related issues. The aim is to promote readers’ understanding by describing modern farming methods without ignoring controversial issues.

The existence of many farms in Germany is dependent on the level of economic pressure and competition brought by larger scale holdings. More and more small farmers are being driven into ruin and the environment is paying a hefty price

The main objective is that the videos give consumers an insight into how the milk they drink is produced. It shows what life and work on farms in the region is really like, increasing the connection between producer and consumer. Christine Licher from the association speaking to The Local said...

Vegetable production is the most important horticultural sector in Germany, as measured by production area and gross value added. During 2015, open field vegetable production included 115,500 hectares. The annual per capita consumption of vegetables in Germany has increased significantly over the past decades from only 64 kg in the...

More than 50 percent of the world's population currently lives in urban areas and this is expected to rise to 70 percent by 2050, particularly in developing countries. Increasing effects of climate change, including storms, floods and other extreme weather events, pose an added threat to how people in cities, especially...

Established in 1926, International Green Week is taking place for the 81st time in 2016. The IGW is a one-of-a-kind international exhibition for the food, agricultural and horticultural industries. At the same time, the IGW is the point of origin for the Global Forum for Food and Agriculture (GFFA) with...

An overhaul of food systems – production, distribution and consumption – to make them more sustainable, will be needed to meet the food needs of a growing and ever more urban world population. That will mean attacking food waste, which is especially high in urban areas.

The “Grünbuch Ernährung, Landwirtschaft, Ländliche Räume" defines measures andguidelines for a sustainable policy for food, agriculture and rural areas.

Biohuhn is an Operational Group (OG) looking into innovative uses for laying hens at the end of their productive life. They are developing new, local food products from this organic meat to provide extra income for farmers, reduce environmental impact and improve animal welfare. This OG brings together six organic hen farms,...

As 2017 Baltic TAC negotiations near conclusion, lobbyists are taking a plethora of public stances. Rather than muddying the waters further, LIFE would like to recall the main elements of its Action Plan for Western cod, elaborated in July.

Nos dias 13 e 14 de dezembro começa a Oficina de Capacitação para a feira Biofach, que acontece em fevereiro de 2017 na Alemanha. O evento acontece em Brasília e os agricultores familiares que levarão os produtos para o evento receberão orientação para alavancar as vendas. Além de técnicos da Secretaria Especial de...

This brochure presents eight case studies showcasing the role of European farming families as resilient, rural entrepreneurs in the context of the UN International year of Family Farming (IYFF) (2014). It is clear within the IYFF that family farming as a global political objective refers to a sub-set of family-owned...

G20 Members (Turkey, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, Indıa, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, the United Kingdom, the United States of America and the EU) represent 85% of the world’s economy, 70% of the global agricultural economy and the two thirds of...