Workshop and Guest Visit on Agroforestry in Africa and Germany
The DFG-funded project "African-German Applied Research Initiative on Agroforestry - Perspectives from Sub-Sahara Africa and Germany (Agroforestry)" aims to establish an African-German platform for applied research on agroforestry.
At the beginning of April, Prof Dr Carsten Lorz and Prof Dr Bernhard Schauberger welcomed six project partners from Nigeria, Ethiopia, Benin and Ghana for a one-week stay at HSWT.
Background and motivation
The workshop took place as part of the Agroforesty project , which aims to establish an African-German platform for applied research on agroforestry. The project aims to further expand research on agroforestry in Germany and Africa and thus realise the high positive potential of various agroforestry systems in both regions in the long term.
Triesdorf and Weihenstephan campuses
To kick off the visit to Germany, the delegation first attended a status workshop organised by the German Research Foundation (DFG) in Bonn before travelling on to Triesdorf and Freising.
In Triesdorf, the guests gained an insight into HSWT's international projects and met the team from the Competence Centre for Digital Agriculture (KoDA) and the Biomass Institute (BIT) at the Innovation Campus.
At the campus in Freising, the scientists presented agroforestry in their respective home countries and worked together to develop ideas for future research projects in the subsequent workshop.
Excursions
In addition to the guided tours at the two HSWT locations, several excursions were also part of the agenda. For example, the group visited the Maile family's agroforestry farm in Greding, which switched from traditional agriculture to incorporate agroforestry systems several years ago and is experimenting with different fruit and nut varieties on its farm. During the visit, the guests were not only able to familiarise themselves with the farm, but also visit various agroforestry systems near the village.
An excursion to the HSWT agroforestry area in Mittermarchenbach was also part of the programme. During their stay in Freising, the guests also visited the Bavarian Institute of Agriculture, the Zentrum Wald Forst Holz Weihenstephan and the Bavarian State Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Forestry.
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![Gruppenbild vor dem Gebäude der LfL]()
Die Gäste besuchten während ihres Aufenthaltes auch die bayersiche Landesanstalt für Landwirtschaft. -
![Die Gruppe steht verteilt um das Modell des Kuhstalls]()
Dr. Bernd Müller stellt den Kuhstall am Campus Triesdorf vor -
![Gruppenbild vor einem großen Banner mit Aufschrift Innovationscampus]()
Am Innovation Campus lernten die Gäste das Kompetenzzentrum für Digitale Agrarwirtschaft (KoDA) und das Biomasse-Instituts (BIT) kennen. -
![Carsten Lorz steht vor Gruppe am Tisch und hält seine Präsentation]()
Prof. Dr. Carsten Lorz stellte die Agroforstwirtschaft in Deutschland vor. -
![Die Wissenschaftler:innen sitzen im Seminarraum an unterschiedlichen Tischen in Kleingruppen]()
Im Workshop erarbeiteten die Wissenschaftler:innen gemeinsam Ideen für zukünftige Forschungsprojekte.
