DCZ delegation trip on the transformation of food systems

The delegation trip, which took place within the framework of the German-Chinese Agricultural Centre (DCZ) funded by the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL) and carried out by IAK Agrar Consulting GmbH in consortium with the Leibniz Institute for Agricultural Development in Transition Economies (IAMO), first took the Chinese participants to the CUBES Circle project at Humboldt University in Berlin. Here, the production of plants, fish and insects as well as the reuse of nutrient flows is being tested in modularly connected, standardised and communicating Cubes.

Transformation of food systems – the theme of the delegation trip was also the topic of the conference held on the second day at the Leibniz Institute for Agricultural Engineering and Bioeconomy (ATB). Here the Chinese guests and their German colleagues exchanged ideas for the future of agriculture. The BMEL representatives also emphasised the importance of German-Chinese cooperation in tackling global challenges in agriculture.

The delegation also travelled to Halle (Saale) to IAMO, where a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the CAAS Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning and IAMO. The delegation continued to Leipzig to the German Biomass Research Centre (DBFZ) to learn more about a biomass-based economy that closes carbon cycles.

Field visits to the Global Change Experimental Facility (GCEF) of the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research GmbH – UFZ in Bad Lauchstädt and to the Dottenfelderhof near Frankfurt am Main provided insight into the practical side of the project.

The delegation concluded its stay in Europe in Paris, where it visited numerous rooftop and hydroponic projects as well as the French Ministry of Agriculture.