Agrobiodiversity Summer School 2025

About

Agrobiodiversity includes the diversity of crops and livestock species and varieties, the diversity of production and food supply systems, different agricultural practices and intensities and the biodiversity that indirectly supports agriculture through provisioning ecosystem services. Agrobiodiversity is therefore essential for locally adapted and resilient land use systems across the globe and ultimately contributes to the achievement of several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

In this International Summer School, you will learn about various perspectives on agrobiodiversity and its contribution to the sustainability and resilience of food systems. In small groups of international students and experts, you will have the chance to deeply investigate opportunities and challenges of the existing local production systems and food supply chains and how they are connected to agrobiodiversity. Together with local stakeholders, you will develop strategies and solutions for addressing their challenges through different aspects of agrobiodiversity. In this program, you will also have the chance to improve your intercultural competencies to work in an international and interdisciplinary context.

You can apply via the application form on our website.

Course leader

This is a cooperation project between the Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW) and the Research Institutes of Organic Agriculture (FiBL) in Switzerland and Germany, leading the course together, and is supported by Stiftung Mercator Schweiz.

Target group

The Summer School is mainly directed to students enrolled in a Master program related to agricultural science, environment, food technologies and processing, rural development, sustainability assessment or associated topics. Bachelor students are also invited to apply, but will be given second priority. The number of participants is limited to 30. All applications will be evaluated after the application deadline, February 13th 2025. By the end of February 2025 you will be informed whether you can take part in the Summer School.

Course aim

After this summer school, you can:
- identify the different aspects of agrobiodiversity
- understand the influence of the respective ecological, economic, social and political frameworks and drivers on agrobiodiversity
- deal specifically with the potential of agrobiodiversity for the development of site-adapted and resilient agricultural systems
- develop creative, innovative and scientifically sound solutions for the conservation and promotion of agrobiodiversity using scientific data collection and analysis methods
- obtain a global perspective on agricultural systems through international exchange in order to critically reflect existing opinions
- work in an intercultural and interdisciplinary team

Fee info