Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL)

01/12/2025

Updated list of cell fusion-free vegetable varieties 📄✔️

In collaboration with breeding companies, the organic associations and FiBL have revised the list of cell fusion-free varieties of cabbage, chicory and root parsley. 🥦🧅🥬

The list of varieties supports vegetable producers in the safe selection of cell fusion-free varieties. 🚫👌🏼

👉🏼 Read more: https://pulse.ly/eqbjry0vfs

27/11/2025

Turning palm oil waste into value for small­holder farmers: composting in the tropics 🌴🎥🌱

Three new FiBL videos showcase how processing residues from palm oil production in Côte d'Ivoire can be transformed into valuable resources for improving soil fertility, increasing smallholder yields, reducing waste, and building more sustainable value chains. 👍🏽

👉🏽 Read more: https://pulse.ly/x6gbriukog
👇🏽Watch more:
🎥 Video 1: https://pulse.ly/phkiycy7ym
🎥 Video 2: https://pulse.ly/ag9ftc2xbq
🎥 Video 3: https://pulse.ly/yga7m8xodd

25/11/2025

SMART-Farm Auditor Training 2025

From 10 to 14 November, FiBL hosted another round of its “SMART-Farm Auditor Training” on the FiBL Campus in Frick, Switzerland. Over the course of five days, participants, both from field practice and academia learnt about sustainability assessment, the SAFA guidelines, background and development of the SMART-Farm method.

The group practiced the use of the SMART-Farm software, first in an interactive learning lab, including worksheet and role play exercises; before a farm visit allowed the practical tool application, both as an observer and interviewer, on-site. Ending the assessment of a Swiss organic farm with a generated report and data analysis participants made hands-on experience with running a holistic sustainability assessment.

Lessons learnt from previous assessments, together with the bundled expertise of FiBL lecturers and participants created an open learning atmosphere, which further inspires indicator development and application of the method in different project contexts. Participants are now equipped and encouraged to continue their work in the field of sustainability assessment, with the SMART-Farm tool.

Special thanks go to the experienced facilitation of Lukas Baumgart and Rainer Weisshaidinger, who co-led the SMART-Farm Training with much care and enthusiasm, tailored to the participants learning needs.

Many thanks to the group of participants, who joined with curiosity to optimise farms’ sustainability performance and gain expertise in multicriteria assessment methods.

-FarmTool

24/11/2025

Strengthening African organic data and statistics 📝💪🏽

A side event organised by FiBL jointly with partners is taking place during the 2nd African Organic Research Conference (AFROREC) on the 25 November 2025 in Egypt. 🇪🇬

The conference is hosted by SEKEM Group, Heliopolis University for Sustainable Development, and the EBDA - Egyptian Biodynamic Association.

👉 Read more: https://pulse.ly/30lolrdyww

24/11/2025

Voices on climate🎙️ "Ultimately, it always comes down to communication, trust, and closeness"

The role of agriculture in the context of climate change was one of the topics discussed at COP30, the 30th UN Climate Change Conference, which is currently underway in Brazil. In addition to large-scale global negotiations, we need people who are committed to climate protection and sustainable agriculture at the local level. One of these people is Jasmin Hufschmid, who speaks in our series "Voices on climate".

👉 Read more: https://pulse.ly/o5vcrvabry
🎤 Directly to the interview: https://pulse.ly/prfjgppnzi

21/11/2025

Join us at the 2nd African Organic Research Conference (24-25 Nov 2025), in person or online!

FiBL, in collaboration with key partners, is hosting a side event during the 2nd African Organic Research Conference (AFROREC) on November 25, 2025, in Egypt.

Each year, FiBL and IFOAM Organics International collaborate with global partners to gather and publish key statistics on organic agriculture. Our session will offer a space to explore and discuss the current state of organic data and statistics in Africa, explore the potential for data and statistics on agroecology in Africa, and identify bottlenecks and opportunities for strengthening the data collection and management—ultimately supporting better insights for both local, continental and global organic actors.

The conference is hosted by SEKEM Group, Heliopolis University for Sustainable Development, and the EBDA.

ℹ️ Side Event details
• Date: Tuesday, 25 November 2025
• Time: 09:00–11:00 CET
• Language: English
• Participation: Open to all
• Format: online and in-person
👉 Full program: https://pulse.ly/mxinwpwjk1
👉 Registration: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/sc7SDpThQA2ZSTvx9FieKQ

Special thanks to our partners AFRONET, The Ecological Organic Agriculture Initiative, Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa - FARA, IFOAM - Organics International and NOARA and the speakers within the KCOA and RAENS Projects Framework.
CCARDESA Bundesministerium für wirtschaftliche Zusammenarbeit und Entwicklung (BMZ)

20/11/2025

Making COP30 the "implementation COP": Organic agriculture offers proven solutions to reduce emissions 🌍🌱💪
Organic farming produces 44 percent fewer greenhouse gas emissions per unit of area than conventional farming systems. FiBL presented research at an Online-event at COP30 in Belém. We need to globally anchor organic and agroecological strategies as an effective response to the climate and food crises.

👉 Read our Policy Factsheet: https://pulse.ly/bngnivi9tn
🧐FiBL "Voices on climate": https://pulse.ly/bxgatpfei4
💡SustainSahel Knowledge Hub: https://pulse.ly/apomdnkxxc

Sustain Sahel EU Organicclimatenet Climate Farm Demo ClieNFarms

10/11/2025

Challenges in adapting to the new EU Organic Regulation 🍃🇪🇺

A workshop in Addis Ababa brought together FiBL experts and Ethiopian stakeholders to exchange on the implementation of the EU Organic Regulation (EU) 2018/848. 🇪🇹 🗨️💬

Due to new legal requirements and rising costs under the EU Organic Regulation in 2025, Ethiopian organic exporters are facing challenges.

Read more: https://pulse.ly/p4fplz86pa

10/11/2025

A change at FiBL Germany: Robert Hermanowski hands over management 🤝

Robert Hermanowski and a number of his compatriots established FiBL Germany in 2001. He served as its Managing Director for almost a quarter of a century. In 2025, he handed over the management of FiBL to three individuals.

Read more: 👇

Robert Hermanowski and a number of his compatriots established FiBL Germany in 2001. He served as its Managing Director for almost a quarter of a century. In 2025, he handed over the management of FiBL to three individuals.

10/11/2025

New CEO for the Swiss Plant Breeding Center ✨

The Swiss Plant Breeding Center (SPBC) has a new CEO, Hans Dätwyler, who took up his post on 15 October 2025. The SPBC was co-founded by FiBL at the end of 2024 and has its office at FiBL in Frick.

The main tasks of the SPBC are to implement new findings and techniques in practical plant breeding and to connect stakeholders. 💡🔗

👉 Read more: https://pulse.ly/nzctdvn9ni

07/11/2025

Climate conference in Belém: agriculture is part of the solution

The COP30 climate conference in Belém, Brazil, is focusing on the global transformation of food systems and sustainable agriculture. For the Research Institute of Organic Agriculture FiBL, one thing is clear: agriculture can – and must – play a central role in the fight against the climate crisis. With organic farming methods, healthy soils and resilient systems, it can actively contribute to climate protection.

Read more 👉
https://www.fibl.org/en/info-centre/news/climate-conference-in-belem-agriculture

FiBL presents research at COP30 and shows the way forward
– register here 👉 https://pulse.ly/ds7ikyubmr

The COP30 climate conference in Belém, Brazil, is focusing on the global transformation of food systems and sustainable agriculture. For the Research Institute of Organic Agriculture FiBL, one thing is clear: agriculture can – and must – play a central role in the fight against the climate cris...