Framework of the Farmers-led Research Network Hesse

The aim of this project was to develop the basis for the establishment of a successful Farmers-led Research Network (‘Praxisforschungsnetzwerk’ PFN) in Hesse, which enables farmers-lead research on a scientific level and can meet the future challenges of Hessian agriculture.

In the first part of the project, recommendations for the establishment of a Hessian PFN were developed on the basis of a review of the current literature on living labs and farmers-led research and the experiences of coordinators of already established PFNs in Germany. The information collected and analysed formed the basis for the successful development of the PFN Hesse. In a second step, suitable organic farms for research were selected and contacted with the help of the Hesse State Office of Agriculture and the organic farming associations. Through a survey-based needs analysis of the farms and through several expert group meetings of potential network partners in the PFN Hesse, it was possible to develop an understanding of roles, possible resource distribution and synergies in participatory processes. In practice meetings, the most important research topics for the farms were collected and prioritised in three working groups – arable farming, animal husbandry and vegetable farming. On the basis of the topics from practice and in cooperation with Hessian universities and agricultural advisors, proposals were developed for research projects to be realised within the framework of the ‘Ökoaktionsplan’ Hessen (ÖAP).

Summary of the project objectives

1. Development of a basis for the establishment of a PFN in Hesse
2. Choosing suitable PFN farms to start a PFN
3. Establishment of expert groups, consisting of farms, research institutions and advisory services for networking and exchange
4. Definition of research projects in close cooperation between farmers, advisory services and research institutions working together on an equal footing

-> THE LONG-TERM AIM IS TO ESTABLISH A NETWORK THAT ENABLES SUSTAINABLE AND SUCCESSFUL FARMERS-LED RESEARCH THROUGH REGULAR EXCHANGE AND TRUST-BUILDING.

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