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Successful FiBL Open Day on the organic transformation of food systems

FiBL Open Day Logo.

The logo of the FiBL Open Day 2024 on organic transformation of food systems. (Photo: FiBL)

On 27 November, FiBL hosted its online Open Day, a full-day virtual event dedicated to the "Organic Transformation of Food Systems." It offered an exciting cross-section of FiBL's work.

The event brought together nearly 1600 registered participants from all over the world, according to the event’s organiser Francesca Bellino of FiBL Europe. 
36 sessions, nearly 1600 participants
During the FiBL Open Day, 36 sessions with around 100 speakers covered a wide range of key topics over the course of a whole day:

  • Supporting policies for sustainable food and farming
  • Building future-proof farming systems
  • Assessing the environmental impact of the food system
  • New practices to improve animal husbandry
  • Sharing knowledge to enable the transition
  • Revealing deeper insights into food and ecosystems
  • Data and digital solutions for sustainable farming
  • Strengthening organic value chains

The day began with welcoming remarks by Jürn Sanders, Chairman of the Management Board of FiBL Switzerland. He emphasised the importance of a systemic approach. Food production is one of the main contributors to global ecological problems. Therefore, it is not only important to start with agriculture, but also to hold the processing and retail sectors accountable. According to Sanders, FiBL could play an important role in this transformation.

Attendees then joined concurrent sessions tailored to the aforementioned themes, with the opportunity to interact directly with FiBL experts, fostering dynamic exchanges and collaborative discussions.

A panel of FiBL leaders

A highlight of the event was the panel session featuring the leaders of the various FiBL sites. They engaged in a thought-provoking debate on FiBL's pivotal role in transforming today's food systems, underscoring the importance of innovation, collaboration and organic solutions for a sustainable future.

"This event showcased FiBL’s commitment to driving the transition towards sustainable and organic food systems through knowledge sharing and actionable solutions", the organisers concluded.

First edition during the pandemic

The first FiBL Open Day took place in 2021, in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic. It served as a digital contact opportunity at a time when live encounters were difficult to organise.

The FiBL Open Day is a joint venture of the six FiBL group members FiBL Switzerland, FiBL Germany, FiBL Austria, FiBL France, ÖMKi from Hungary and FiBL Europe. The diversity of the institutes and their activities was also reflected in the programme (see link below).

Further information

Contact

Francesca Bellino

Link

fibl.org: Programme Open Day (213.0 KB)

Recordings

If you wish to register retrospectively to view the FiBL Open Day presentations, please contact Stefanie Leu.