News

As part of the BMEL-funded project on sustainable forest management in Ukraine, IAK welcomed high-ranking representatives from Ukrderzhlisproekt today. The focus was on an exchange of views on current challenges in forest management, strategic objectives and support in the form of urgently needed material resources such as electricity generators – important steps for the sustainable development of Ukraine's forests.

As part of the Innovation and Transformation Dialogue on duckweed funded by the BMEL, a German delegation traveled to Pernambuco, Brazil, from Nov 11-13, 2024. The visit to the various locations with duckweed production focused on the progress of the project in pond fishing and food security in the region as well as possible future collaborations.

The AYAF, organized by IAK together with partners, set new standards for the participatory involvement of young agripreneurs in the agricultural policy of the African Union (AU) at the beginning of November 2024. With high-level support from AU Commissioner Josefa Sacko and Federal Minister of Agriculture Cem Özdemir, the participants presented a "Call to Action" to promote youth in agribusiness, accompanied by sustainable exchange and international cooperation.

As part of the APD Ukraine implemented IAK, we accompanied a high-ranking Ukrainian delegation to EuroTier 2024 in Hanover last week. A particular highlight here was the joint event of the two BMEL-funded BKP projects APD Ukraine and APD Moldova on the topic: “Opportunities and challenges of EU integration for livestock farming in the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine”.

Last week, a delegation from the BMEL and other German partners traveled to Brasília and Rio de Janeiro to strengthen bilateral cooperation in the agricultural sector. The focus was on the start of Phase 2 of the German-Brazilian Agricultural Policy Dialogue implemented by IAK. Accompanied by high-ranking representatives from both countries, the delegation discussed forward-looking approaches for sustainable agricultural development and thus sent a strong signal for joint, environmentally conscious solutions. Visits to research institutions and participation in Green Rio underlined the strong joint commitment.

Last week, IAK, as a member of the European-Ukrainian Bridge (EUB), handed over donated toys to the Pavilion of Hope in Leipzig. These donations, provided by the Global Empowerment Mission (GEM), bring joy and normality to the lives of the children of Ukrainian refugees and show how joint action can help in times of crisis.

The 10th Sino-German Agricultural Week (DCAW) took place in Yancheng, China, from Oct 21-23, 2024. More than 400 delegates from Germany and China as well as international experts exchanged views on agroecology and biodiversity. Organized by the German-Chinese Agricultural Centre (DCZ) and co-financed by the German Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL), the focus was on both successful projects and the challenges of implementing them on a large scale. One highlight was the tenth anniversary, which was celebrated in a festive atmosphere.

On Oct 15, 2024, the 2nd Forum "Food Systems Transformation in Ukraine – Prospects for Long-term Sustainable Development" took place in Rome. The forum, organized by APD Ukraine, brought together leading experts from politics, science and business to discuss challenges and opportunities for the Ukrainian food system in the context of EU integration and the effects of the war and to strengthen international cooperation.

During an exposure visit organized by the IAK, the delegation members from agricultural science and ministries of agriculture from the six Western Balkan states found out about the state of animal production in Germany. In addition to current research issues along the production chain, visits to farms provided extensive insights into the keeping of cattle, sheep and chickens. Besides environmental aspects such as climate change adaptation, the focus was on animal welfare.