Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL)

24/08/2026

🌱👗 From Soil to Style – and Back Again
What does soil have to do with fashion? More than you might think.
📅 29 August 2026
📍 Maison Shift, Zurich, Switzerland

Fashion Revolution Switzerland invites the public to an event exploring the connections between soil 🌱, agriculture 🌾, textiles 🧣, fashion 👚 and art 🎨.

The programme brings together perspectives from FiBL, Swiss Flax, Agroscope, Edie Lou Studio and Larissa Riesen, creating space for dialogue and a deeper look at the environmental systems behind what we wear.

The event will also feature Soil Bodies – The Living Tapestry, a citizen science project developed by Edie Lou Studio in collaboration with Agroscope and FiBL, exploring how textiles 🧣 interact with different soils 🌱.

🔗 Learn more here: https://soilscape.eu/event/from-soil-to-style-and-back-again/?preview=true

EU Science & Innovation UNESCO Office in Venice Reframe.food Horizon Europe AFES - Association Française pour l'Etude du Sol European Rural Development Network Cleantech Bulgaria Clust-ER Create LUT University Anci Toscana Landscape Alliance Global Centre for Functional Ecology - Science for People & the Planet Forschungsinstitut für biologischen Landbau Institut de recherche de l'agriculture biologique (FiBL) BFH | HESB - Hochschule für Agrar-, Forst- und Lebensmittelwissenschaften HAFL | Haute école des sciences agronomiques, forestières et alimentaires HAFL EU Science Hub - Joint Research Centre

21/08/2026

20/08/2026

and the Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL), through its Department of International Cooperation (ICO), are seeking a highly experienced professional to join the partnership advancing organic agriculture, agroecology, sustainable food systems, and market development across Africa.

📅 Submission Deadline: 15th September 2026

The successful candidate will lead and support market, sector and policy development initiatives, build strategic networks among public and private actors, expand organic and agroecological market opportunities, strengthen value chains, support capacity development, and contribute to policy, advocacy and scaling strategies.

and particularly welcome applications from female candidates.

For more information/application 🔗 https://gqr.sh/83dL

Join and in advancing sustainable and inclusive food systems across Africa.

20/08/2026

Nurture your soil and conserve your water to safeguard your harvest.

When you plant on a slope, it can lead to quick runoff that washes away precious topsoil.

Contour farming is a great way to slow down that water flow, enhance infiltration and keep your soil right where it should be.

Lean more from the link below:

https://kcoa-africa.org/hold-the-soil-protect-the-harvest-why-contour-farming-matters/





SAOSO Kusamala Institute of Agriculture and Ecology Kasisi Agricultural Training Centre PELUM Zambia Namibian Organic Association Namibia Nature Foundation (NNF) PGS South Africa Sustainability Institute SAFCEI Soils, Food and Healthy Communities Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL) Zambia Alliance for Agroecology and Biodiversity Zambia Climate Change Network Seed and Knowledge Initiative - SKI Busisiwe Mgangxela

18/08/2026

Every flower counts 🌼🪰🐝🪻

The loss and fragmentation of natural habitats are directly linked to insect decline, threatening vital ecosystem services such as pollination and biological pest control.

In addition to agricultural biodiversity structures, flowering plants in urban gardens and on balconies can counteract this negative trend. Providing food and nesting opportunities is essential for securing the presence and diversity of beneficial insects. Urban public and private gardens can serve as crucial food sources and refuges within urban areas.

🎓 As part of a FiBL Master's thesis, a wide variety of flowering plant mixes for private use will be tested for their attractiveness to pollinators (starting April/May 2027).

Interested? Apply now! https://pulse.ly/x4g86edawj

14/08/2026

🗣️ Voices on Climate: "The challenge is to mitigate extremes"

The heat and persistent drought this summer are taking their toll on agriculture. In our series "Voices on Climate", Daniel Böhler talks about the impact of climate change on his work as a farmer and what is needed, alongside farmers’ commitment, to cope with extremes.

👉 Read the interview here: https://pulse.ly/c9smhzuqvl

14/08/2026

The "Organic Farming Compass": A new European knowledge platform 🧭

The new European knowledge platform, the "Organic Farming Compass", is now online, supporting innovation and networking in organic agriculture. Developed as part of the OH-FINE project, which is funded by the European Union and the Swiss State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI), FiBL is one of the project partners.

The platform provides farmers, advisers and researchers across Europe with access to practical knowledge, innovative solutions and valuable resources.

👉 Learn more about the platform here: https://pulse.ly/c6y8npdtsu

07/08/2026

Our first international portrait and number four in our series FiBL Women 💪 in Agriculture!

Today with Busisiwe Mgangxela, FiBL project partner and farmer.

Her message ✉️

«Females are guardians of seeds and should therefore continue to uplift that role – for food is (agri)culture that is the right of all citizens.
Warmth, beauty, diversity, routine, organisation, dedication and prosperity are all qualities associated with being a woman and naturally shape a farm.»

Her career path 🌞

Busisiwe is a nurse educator. Besides, she has been an entrepreneur and service provider for the Department of Education in a school nutrition programme.
When she had to leave her city life in 2014, she was introduced to Agroecology. That’s when she became an agroecology farmer and trainer for leading organic agriculture projects. Now, also in collaboration with FiBL.

A full-time care role 🌻

«I come from farming families on both my parents’ side. So, from an early age, I had to do farm chores, like having to water the vegetable garden before going to school.
It was my nursing profession that taught me the importance of nutrition for health and well-being. Being a female farmer emphasises the care role that comes with being a big sister, a mother, a wife and a community player.»

A long way to go 🍽️

«The blame on women for poverty, malnutrition and hunger is not far off. More opportunities are said to be given to females and youth, yet, in practice, cultures keep them disadvantaged.
I now focus on agroforests to make sure there is abundance of fruits, nuts, medicinal plants, edible weeds, indigenous vegetables and cash crops to generate income, improve livelihoods and create jobs.»

More about her project involvement: https://pulse.ly/wrrz8yfbnm

Go to Forschungsinstitut für biologischen Landbau to read her portrait in German!

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)

04/08/2026

Schoolchildren discover pulses with FiBL 👩‍🍳

Incorporating pulses such as peas, lentils, soya beans and chickpeas in our diets significantly contributes to addressing major global challenges, including biodiversity loss, climate change and diet-related diseases in humans.

As part of the EU LegumES project, programmes aimed at raising public awareness about these benefits have been co-developed in various European countries. Notably, the project partner in Spain and FiBL in Switzerland are working with schools to achieve this.

👉 Know more: https://pulse.ly/ncpxolzfpk

04/08/2026

Summer School 2026: Handling the complexity of organic plant breeding 🌿

In mid-July 2026, the LiveSeeding project and ECO-PB held their Summer School at the Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV), Spain, bringing together breeders, seed savers, researchers, students, advisors and farmers for a week dedicated to organic plant breeding.

The event was organised by FiBL together with other partners of the LiveSeeding project and ECO-PB.

🔍 Learn more about the LiveSeeding project!

👉 Read the news here: https://pulse.ly/xbpkatwcrs