How can the Fulda region ensure a sustainable food supply? At the first regional forum, “From Field to Plate,” held at Lindengut in Dipperz, representatives from agriculture, business, and academia discussed opportunities for regional value creation—from the soil to the plate.
The new initiative, supported by the Green Food Cluster, the Fulda District, the Rhön Biosphere Reserve, Rhön GmbH, and the Natur- und Lebensraum Rhön association, aims to connect stakeholders throughout the entire supply chain. Host Anja Lindner and event moderator Sabine Räth welcomed 70 participantsto the first Regional Forum at Lindengut. Among other activities, attendees enjoyed a presentation by agroecologist Joachim Böttcher, a panel discussion, a workshop, and a farm tour.
In his opening remarks, Regional Manager Christoph Burkard, Managing Director of the Fulda Region Economic Development Agency, described the cluster as a platform for networks: “We see ourselves as enablers who initiate concrete projects that deliver real added value.”
According to Burkard, healthy foods are “a key location factor and a reflection of quality of life.” Torsten Raab, administrative director of the Rhön UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, highlighted the role of partner networks—from the Hessian Rhön Nature Park to Rhön GmbH and the Rhön umbrella brand. “Regional value chains are a key component of our work in the biosphere reserve,” said Raab.
The Lindengut site is symbolic of functioning cycles: “This is where agriculture, processing, gastronomy, and tourism come together—a small, self-contained value chain.” Raab pointed to the great potential of the cross-state biosphere reserve, which encompasses five counties and approximately 365 partner businesses.
“We live as if we had two planets. Do we? No, we don’t.” “The transformation is coming our way—the only question is: Will we shape it ourselves, or will it run us over?” said Joachim Böttcher, an expert in regenerative agriculture and land use, in his keynote address. He called for greater appreciation of agriculture: “Many farms feel pushed into a corner. Yet they are not the cause of the problem—they are the providers.” In his presentation, he demonstrated how closely ecological, economic, and social developments are intertwined.
Following the presentation, Prof. Dr. Linda Chalupova (Fulda University of Applied Sciences), Peter Bleuel (farmer), Thomas König (Rhön GmbH), Sandra Limpert (Rhöner Lebensmittel Association), and Susanne Roser (Ebersburg Family Center) discussed ways to achieve resilient food systems. Chalupova, a professor of environmental and sustainability sciences, identified four key issues: “First, there is still no clear definition of regionality. Second, there is a lack of availability. Third, price pressure in the foodservice industry is enormous. And fourth, we need to raise awareness—many customers don’t understand the complex interrelationships at all.”
“There is an ever-increasing demand for regional products. That’s a real asset because it’s tangible,” reported Thomas König, project manager at Rhön GmbH. He sees the region as strong enough to revitalize its own structures: “Some value chains have been lost, but we’re trying to revive and strengthen them through projects.” Peter Bleuel, a farmer in Oberrode, called for a return to a focus on training and entrepreneurship: “We need people again who are eager to start their own businesses, process their own products, and market them. Because without this foundation, regionality remains nothing more than a buzzword.”
Source: Fuldaer Zeitung, Mirko Luis