Project description

The "Agroecology Switzerland" project is a comprehensive initiative aimed at enhancing the sustainability of Switzerland's agricultural and food systems, with active involvement from farmers and consumers.

The project's strategic framework is anchored in the principles of agroecology, with a vision to establish a system that is environmentally sustainable, economically viable, and socially inclusive.

As part of this initiative, approximately 40 pilot farms across various regions of Switzerland are undertaking initiatives that promote the conservation of soil, water, air, and biodiversity. Consumers are also engaged in promoting sustainable eating habits and reducing food waste.

The project is part of the Resource Programme, which is financially supported by the Federal Office for Agriculture. The project's objective is to identify practical solutions for a sustainable future that will benefit both agriculture and consumers.

Advisory services play a central role in the ‘Agroecology Switzerland’ project. Agricultural businesses and consumers receive intensive support from experts in order to successfully implement sustainable agroecological measures.

The advice is provided by experienced partners such as Agridea, cantonal advice centres and the Institute of Agroecology. These experts support the farms in developing innovative solutions that make both ecological and economic sense. At the same time, ways to make nutritional behaviour more sustainable are sought together with consumers.

Regular dialogue in the form of workshops and individual consultations promotes the transfer of knowledge and ensures that everyone involved benefits from the best available practices.

Result monitoring is a central component of the "Agroecology Switzerland" project. It serves to scientifically verify the success of the agroecological measures on the pilot farms and among the consumers involved.

Data is collected on various areas such as soil quality, biodiversity, climate balances, nutrient losses and socio-economic aspects. For consumers, the focus is on nutritional behaviour and the reduction of food waste.

The comprehensive monitoring makes it possible to continuously evaluate and optimise the effectiveness of the measures. The results help to find viable long-term solutions for more sustainable agriculture and nutrition and can provide important impetus for agricultural policy in Switzerland.

In the "Agroecology Switzerland" project, result-based payments are a key instrument for rewarding farms for their measurable progress in sustainability. In contrast to traditional subsidy models, where only the implementation of measures is financed, these payments are based on the actual environmental effects.

The payments are based on various indicators, including the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, the promotion of biodiversity, the reduction of nutrient losses and the reduction in the use of pesticides. This creates a direct incentive for farms to take effective measures that lead to measurable improvements in these areas.

This innovative system not only promotes ecological performance, but also supports the economic stability of farms and contributes to the sustainable transformation of Swiss agriculture in the long term.