Current research projects

The ultimate goal is to present the European Commission, by 2028, with an environmental display system that has been validated and recognized by a wide range of stakeholders.
To the project page

The aim of the project is to improve the economic situation of (organic) sheep and goat farming by developing strategies and measures to increase the competitiveness of German sheep and goat products through innovative marketing and sales concepts.
To the project page (German)

The Junior Research Group will take an inter- and transdisciplinary - systemic - approach to the question of how to implement a One Health approach to public health nutrition, taking into account planetary boundaries. The aim is to fully understand cultural, socio-political and policy barriers in order to harness synergies for sustainable health and nutrition systems.
To the project page (German)

Pig farming and its upstream and downstream sectors are currently undergoing profound technical, logistical, social and economic structural change. In addition, there are increasing demands from society, trade and control authorities for more regionalisation, greater transparency and faster traceability in the value chain in the interests of food safety, animal welfare and consumer protection. An essential prerequisite for this is a well-functioning data exchange between all chain participants, which offers great potential for optimisation along the entire value chain in view of the advancing digitalisation.
To the project page (German)

The aim of the research and development (R&D) project is to identify solutions for a regional value chain for North Sea shrimps and to fully evaluate them in terms of their sustainability (environmental, economic, social) according to scientific criteria and standards.
To the project page (German)

In Lower Saxony, sheep make an important contribution to the maintenance of the cultural landscape, for example by preserving heathland and protecting dikes. However, the return of the wolf poses a major challenge to sheep farming. Many shepherds already protect their animals with high fences and dogs, but these measures are often complex and expensive and force farms to give up sheep farming.
To the project page (German)

A third way: New agricultural system between conventional and organic.
To the project page (German)

The Research Training Group (RTG) "Sustainable Food Systems" combines excellent interdisciplinary research and graduate education in the field of sustainability of global and local food systems.
To the project page

The aim of the project is to assess the welfare of different types of mobile housing and, where appropriate, to identify specific management needs, including predator control in the field, and to evaluate the impact of targeted advice.
To the project page (German)

The Food-PlanetH project aims to contribute to the creation of food environments that are supportive of healthy and sustainable diets, defined as diets that maximize human health and well-being while minimizing the food system’s environmental footprint. Our goal is to make healthy and sustainable food choices available, accessible, attractive, and affordable for all.
To the project page

The aim of the InnoRind project is to establish a network for sustainable cattle farming and to use the expertise of the project participants to develop innovative approaches for sustainable dairy and beef cattle farming in Germany. These approaches should improve animal welfare and reduce environmental pollution. At the same time, the labour situation on farms and the social acceptance of husbandry and management systems should also be taken into account when developing future-oriented concepts.
To the project page

While the main focus of reformulation in Germany today is on reducing the sugar, fat and salt content of foods, ProBallast is directly aimed at increasing the use of healthy ingredients. It is also testing the use of by-products from the food industry to help reduce food waste and up-cycling.
To the project page

ZERN is a research and transfer network initiated by the University of Göttingen, the University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover Foundation and the German Institute of Food Technology in Quakenbrück, which aims to support the transformation of the agricultural and food system in Lower Saxony. The results of the research alliance should enable the sustainable production, processing and marketing of food. The project is divided into three main areas: Arable Farming, Grassland Use and Animal Husbandry. The arable farming working groups will address the question of how arable farming can be run in an ecologically and economically profitable way in the future, given the current challenges of regulated nutrient supply and pesticide use, extreme weather events and decreasing agricultural land. The aim of the consumer acceptance work package is to identify societal concerns about agricultural production technologies. Based on the results, appropriate terms for sustainability communication will be identified.
To the project page

The impact of the climate crisis already changes the type of crops that can be grown in certain cli-mate regions. To support the adaptation of agricultural production to challenges of climate change, TRANSFORM aims to innovate climate-resilient crop rotations. To do so, this Horizon Europe project focuses on a variety of stakeholders, regional food chain conditions and the practical adaptability by farmers and agricultural consultants.
To the project page