Tremendous success of the first regenerative agriculture event organized by EIT Food in Poland
The kick-off event promoting regenerative agriculture in Poland organized by EIT Food in the form of on-line event on the 26th November 2020 was a spectacular success and shows to EIT Food, as well as all our stakeholders, that the topic needs further attention and strategic support.
The conference gathered with over 120 attending the on-line event. Approximately half of the participants identified themselves as the farmers, including farmers-to-be, and the other half of the participants identified themselves as agricultural advisors.
The interactive conference consisted of three presentation blocks, each of which was crowned with a question and answer session. Summary of the points covered during the event together with graphical recording posters is presented below.
Session one – REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE
In each of the presentations in the first panel a clear connection was made between regenerative agriculture and carbon farming. Carbon payments to farmers were mentioned multiple times as a vehicle for encouraging transition towards regenerative agriculture.
The conference started with the presentation of Prof. Jerzy Czembor from the Institute of Plant Breeding and Acclimatization (IHAR), the National Research Institute, who has emphasized the key importance of biodiversity in the development of regenerative agriculture systems.
The session was continued by Prof. Marek Marks from the University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, who tried answering the question of whether regenerative agriculture is a fashion or a need? Prof. Marks alarmed the participants of the conference on the state of Polish agricultural soils, most of which require immediate actions in order to increase their biological life.
Third session of the conference was an introduction to regenerative agriculture by Dr Robert Borek from the Institute of Soil Science and Plant Cultivation (IUNG) in Puławy. Dr Borek summarized various perspectives on what regenerative agriculture is by elaborating on the specific practices of regenerative agriculture, such as minimizing tillage, reduction of inputs and integration of animals, as well as more advanced regenerative agriculture systems, such as agroforestry.
The final presentation in the first session was delivered by Dr Stanisław Świtek from the University of Life Sciences in Poznań, who took the participants of the conference on a trip around the world to visit successful regenerative farms. Dr Świtek presented examples from the US and Australia and showcasted an example of regenerative winery.
Session two – THEORY MEETS PRACTICE
The second session of the conference was opened by the presentation of Ms. Małgorzata Bojańczyk, Director at the Association of Sustainable Agriculture in Poland "ASAP", who talked about the opportunities and challenges for agriculture and food security created by the Common Agricultural Policy of the European Union.
The next presentation in this session was delivered by Dr Jerzy Próchnicki, who was also representing "ASAP", on the topic of holistic thinking, as the key to sustainability and success in agriculture.
The second part of the event ended with a presentation by Dr Radosław Kowalski from the Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research of the Polish Academy of Sciences (PAS) in Olsztyn, who took us on a deep dive into the water by presenting the latest technological and conceptual achievements in the field of regenerative fishing from around the world.
We are delighted to see that the topic of regenerative agriculture gathered such interest among farmers, farm advisors and the media. We are looking forward to building on this success in 2021 and beyond.
Mateusz Ciasnocha, EIT Food employee responsible for this project in Poland, is at your service to discuss possible cooperation with the EIT Food Regenerative Agriculture project.
Mateusz’s contact details:
- Mobile: +48 881 949 949
- Email: mateusz.ciasnocha@eitfood.eu
