PFN Hessen presents itself as a showcase project at the DFG Senate Commission
27.10.2025 | EVENT
The Farmers Led Research Network Hesse (PFN Hessen) had the special opportunity to present itself at a meeting of the Senate Commission of the German Research Foundation (DFG) on the Transformation of Agricultural and Food Systems. The invitation makes it clear what a central role practical research plays today for the future of agriculture.
The framework conditions for agricultural businesses are changing rapidly. Climate change, loss of species, scarcity of resources and social expectations regarding animal welfare and regional value creation are all increasing at the same time. Food systems must quickly become more resilient to extreme weather, geopolitical crises and increasingly volatile markets. Answering the question of how we can produce healthy food in the future while remaining within planetary boundaries is one of the most urgent tasks of our time.
The Senate Commission on the Transformation of Agricultural and Food Systems (SKAE) is a scientific commission set up by the German Research Foundation (DFG) with the task of advising politicians, scientists and society on how a transformation in agricultural and food systems can succeed within the entire value chain.
However, a genuine transformation can only succeed if it takes the reality of farms seriously. Agriculture is complex. Every location, every crop, every animal has its own requirements. Solutions that work in the laboratory must first prove themselves on the field or in the barn. This is exactly what the PFN Hessen stands for: Farmers, advisors and scientists work together on innovative, ecologically and economically viable approaches to organic farming. Research topics arise directly from practical experience and provide practicable knowledge that can be immediately implemented on farms.
The network’s invitation to the DFG Senate Commission is a strong signal. It shows that transformation does not only consist of technological innovations, but is primarily the result of cooperation, exchange of experience and the willingness to try out new things in practice. Practical research thus becomes the engine of an agriculture that produces sustainably, addresses social expectations and at the same time secures the existence of farms.
We are delighted that our work is appreciated and that we have the opportunity to contribute our perspectives to this important exchange. Together, we are shaping the path towards food systems that are ecologically responsible, economically viable and future-proof for all generations.
