Het i2connect-project legt een grote nadruk op landbouwinnovaties. Vorige herfst, studenten van de i2connect Summer School hadden de mogelijkheid om Oliver Schmid te bezoeken, who is pioneering an innovative arable farming system on his parentsfarm in southern Germany. His motivation comes from the decline in farms and the expansion of arable land, posing a threat to the small-scale landscape and its ecologically valuable peripheral structures. Oliver Schmid aims to counteract this trend with his “Bewegende weide” cropping system, currently being tested and refined within an EIP-Agri project.

The core concept involves integrating clover grass into arable land, not as a large plot but as perennial meadow strips. These meadow strips remain in place for four years before transitioning. Functioning as ecologically valuable elements, the meadow strips can be harvested for hay or silage. Alternatively, the chopped clover grass can be utilized as green manure on adjacent arable plots. While the project is still in the midst of development, it has offered students valuable practical insights into the challenges and successes of this innovative farming approach. Watch out more in the full video below!