What We Do
Spring & Autumn School
Spring & Autumn School: Pathways towards a more sustainable agriculture
Agriculture is facing many challenges: Cost pressures, changing societal expectations, digitalisation, climate change and animal welfare requirements. The pressure to change is increasing, and many farmers are uncertain about which path they want to take.
What do the paths to a more sustainable agriculture look like? How can the transformation be shaped? And how can this be reflected in agricultural (vocational) training?
Together with young people in agricultural education (apprentices, technical and master students, university students, recent graduates) as well as teachers and trainers in the agricultural sector, we will address these questions.
- Flyer
- Dates & Facts
Two times four compact days & additional offers
Spring School
February 23-26, 2023, Gut SiggenAutumn School
November 23-26, 2023, Gut SiggenAdditional excursions and exchange opportunities throughout 2023
The Spring & Autumn School will take place at the Alfred Toepfer Foundation Seminar Centre on the grounds of the Gut Siggen farm. All selected participants will receive free accommodation and full board at the seminar centre.
The seminars will be held in German.
- Program
We will deal with topics such as:
Sustainability and Agricultural Transformation +++ Community-Supported Agriculture +++ Animal Welfare +++ Confronting Climate Change - Agroforestry and Regenerative Agriculture +++ Biodiversity +++ Digitalisation and New Technologies +++ Communication +++ Agriculture in Society +++ Agricultural Policy +++ Resilience of Farms
and much more!
Furthermore, we will deal with the anchoring of these and similar topics in agricultural education, get insights into the personal experiences of farmers with change processes and have a lot of space for exchange, discussion, and the joint development of ideas!
There will also be exciting field trip opportunities and digital exchange opportunities throughout 2023. Dates, locations, and topics to be determined in more detail as needed!
- Application information
Currently no more applications possible.
The Spring & Autumn School is a result of Think and Do Tank on Future-Oriented Land Use that took place in March and July 2020 in Siggen. A steering group was formed from among the participants to support the foundation in planning the Spring & Autumn School.
The first Spring School took place from 22 to 27 March 2021. It was preceded by a digital kick-off on 23 February 2021, and participants met again for an excursion on 2 September 2021. After the successful Spring School 2021, the programme was expanded to include an Autumn School for 2022, as well as excursions and digital exchange opportunities. Now the Spring & Autumn School is entering its third round.
Note on Covid-19: We are currently planning with on-site events, subject of course to the precautions in place at that time. Should format changes be necessary, participants will be informed early and transparently.
