On 27 November, FiBL hosted a successful online Open Day, dedicating the full day to the “Organic Transformation of Food Systems.” The virtual event featured 36 sessions and attracted nearly 1,600 participants from around the world, as shared by Francesca Bellino, the event organizer from FiBL Europe.
The event featured around 100 expert speakers addressing key issues throughout the day. Discussions covered a range of topics such as supporting policies for sustainable food and farming, strengthening organic value chains, assessing the environmental impact of the food system, building future-proof farming systems and more.
The sessions highlighted some of the LiveSeeding projects objectives such as:
- Seed health: research on seed treatments for organic agriculture, presented by Javier Palma-Guerrero, Barbara Thürig (FiBL Switzerland, Crops Sciences Department), and Natacha Bodenhausen (FiBL Switzerland, Soil Sciences Department).
- Policy and Market Measures for 100% Organic Seeds in Europe, presented by Freya Schäfer (FiBL Germany, Sustainable Farming Systems Department) and Ilsa Phillips (IFOAM OE).
- Change Seed, Grow Difference! The benefits of organic plant breeding, presented by Claudia Meier (FiBL Switzerland, Food System Sciences Department), Mariateresa Lazzaro (FiBL Switzerland, Crop Sciences Department), and Marlene Sander (FiBL Switzerland, Food System Sciences Department).
A key moment of the event was a panel discussion featuring leaders from various FiBL sites. The panellists engaged in an thought-provoking debate on FiBL’s central role in the ongoing transformation of food systems, emphasizing the importance of innovation, collaboration, and organic solutions for achieving a sustainable future.
In conclusion, the event highlighted FiBL’s ongoing commitment towards sustainable and organic food systems through knowledge exchange and actionable solutions.
