36 times the yield per square metre – thanks to indoor farming
Berlin-based start-up OrbiFarm is revolutionising the production of plant proteins and medicinal plants with indoor farming. The potential is enormous: yields are up to 36 times higher than in traditional agriculture – and that's without soil, weather or long transport routes.
13 Megatrends: 'Avalanches in slow motion'
The world is changing. The complexity is great and that makes it difficult to keep track in everyday life. Megatrends provide orientation here. They outline the main lines of change. Megatrends are valuable navigation aids to classify and understand change. The Zukunftsinstitut describes megatrends as 'avalanches in slow motion'. This image describes the phenomenon well. Megatrends develop slowly, but have an enormous impact on the economy and society. They determine our future life.
Broccoli and cauliflower in short supply – is there a hunger gap coming?
Extreme weather and pests are threatening the supply of broccoli and cauliflower in Europe – and Switzerland. The shortage is mainly due to last year's devastating floods in Valencia. These popular vegetables could become scarce, especially in spring. However, the industry is already working on innovative solutions.
Myths & Facts
swiss-food stands for fact-based information. Important facts are explained here in an understandable way.
To the myths and factsFrom the media
The opponents of green genetic engineering lack facts. Their anti-attitude is a dangerous ideology
Switzerland and the EU will decide on the cultivation of plants modified using new breeding technologies in 2025. Authorisation is sensible – and long overdue. After all, genetic engineering is already widespread.
‘There is no such thing as chemical-free food – there never has been and there never will be’
Chemical residues in our food are a hotly debated topic in the media time and again. A glance at Austria shows that it is an illusion to believe that residue-free food production is possible. This is because residues come from both natural and synthetic sources. And the same applies to all of them: it is the quantity that makes the poison.
Why domestic cats threaten biodiversity
A ban on keeping domestic cats is currently being discussed in Scotland. The reason: driven by their hunting instinct, they are able to wipe out entire species of animals. The cat problem is also on the agenda in Switzerland.
Olive oil is becoming a luxury product – and rapeseed is in a tight spot
Olive oil is now so expensive that supermarkets in southern Europe have to chain up their bottles. Poor harvests in Spain and Italy have caused prices to skyrocket. Rapeseed oil could be an alternative – but precisely its cultivation is coming under pressure.
Knowledge
Chasing Misinformation Feels Like Herding Cats
Science fiction has a way of masquerading as science fact — until someone like me comes with a bucket of cold, hard evidence. But let’s be real: debunking nonsense takes exponentially more effort than producing it. Jonathan Swift knew it in 1710, and here I am, centuries later, still speaking my truth before the next viral misinformation dumpster fire.
Climate protection must not jeopardise food security
Agriculture is increasingly under pressure to become climate-neutral. But how can this be achieved without jeopardising food security? In the agricultural policy podcast, Hannah von Ballmoos-Hofer, head of the energy division at the Swiss Farmers' Union, emphasises that climate protection is important, but must not come at the expense of food security.
Tradition and innovation go hand in hand when it comes to food
The study ‘Decoding Food Culture’ by the Gottlieb Duttweiler Institute shows how deeply food culture shapes our lives. That is why it is a balancing act between tradition and innovation to bring about changes in nutrition.
The underestimated danger of plant toxins
Plants produce a variety of chemical substances to protect themselves against predators and diseases, for example. These substances can have a toxic effect in high doses. A recent study by Agroscope highlights the danger of natural substances in Swiss waters.
Green biotech: safety concerns no longer hold water
At the end of October, swiss-food.ch hosted a film screening and panel discussion in Zurich on the subject of genome editing entitled “Between Protest and Potential”. The well-attended event dealt with the emotional debates in recent decades surrounding genetic engineering. The event showed that the situation has changed fundamentally.
Audio & Video
swiss-food has a large selection of exciting videos and podcasts on the topics of food, agriculture and research.
To the podcasts and videosPolitics
Differing perceptions
While the increasing administrative burden is perceived as the main concern in the economy, parts of the population see it differently. Meanwhile, regulations are repeatedly misused as a means of exerting power in the competitive struggle – to the detriment of SMEs.
Domestic production as a blind spot
Switzerland's food security is increasingly under pressure: last year's disastrous wheat and potato harvests have led to an increasing dependence on imports. However, the report by the Federal Office for National Economic Supply (FONES) is largely silent on the precarious state of the domestic agricultural sector. The IG BauernUnternehmen (Farmers' Company) has therefore sharply criticised the federal government.
PFAS regulation in Switzerland: Not faster, but better
Some people also call PFAS ‘forever chemicals’. Their use must be regulated as wisely as possible. To do this, the federal government first needs to do precise groundwork, according to Stefan Brupbacher, Urs Furrer and Stephan Mumenthaler.
gfs survey confirms high acceptance of genome editing
A large majority of the Swiss population recognises the advantages of targeted plant breeding using genome editing. This is shown by a survey conducted by gfs.bern.
Blindspot
Blindspot articles are marked with a small spotlight and illuminate the «blind spots» in the agricultural policy debate.
To the Blindspot articlesResearch
Why we need high-tech for tomorrow's agriculture
From genome editing to precision field spraying – innovations can strengthen the agriculture of tomorrow. They help to ensure that agricultural land can be used better. Crops are protected more efficiently. According to a survey by gfs.bern, the Swiss are very open to the use of modern technologies. This also applies to new breeding methods such as genome editing.
Cool thanks to Caribbean genes: the heat-defying calf!
Cows are also suffering from global warming. Hot temperatures have a negative effect on their metabolism. Now, the first solutions are emerging: for example, Strickhof in Lindau is home to one of the first Slick gene cows in the world. These are more heat tolerant than conventional cows and can therefore withstand global warming.
Rapid further development of the genetic scissors
CRISPR-Cas has been used worldwide since 2012 to modify genes in organisms with pinpoint accuracy. With the help of protein engineering and AI algorithms, researchers at the University of Zurich have now developed a new, more compact ‘genetic scissors’. This and similar variants will make it possible to edit genes ever more efficiently.
Using Crispr to combat climate change
In the Tages-Anzeiger newspaper, Nobel Prize winner Jennifer Doudna talks about the opportunities and risks of gene scissors. The tool can be used to specifically treat hereditary diseases, breed drought-tolerant plants and reduce greenhouse gas emis-sions from cows.
Agriculture needs a shared vision
Dr. Christian Stockmar
Chairman of the Austrian Crop Protection Association
'Pure hubris'
Patrick Dümmler
Head of Sustainability and Economic Policy at the Swiss Trade Association
We are bringing up the rear in Europe when it comes to plant protection
David Brugger
Head of Plant Production, Swiss Farmers’ Union
«Plant breeding calls for liberal rules»
Jürg Niklaus
Jürg Niklaus has a doctorate in law and is an advocate of plant breeding.
More pesticides, more genetic engineering: How we are overcoming hunger.
Markus Somm
Journalist, publicist, publisher and historian
«What plant breeding brings us»
Achim Walter
Professor of Crop Science, ETH Zurich
Content in German
Agriculture needs a shared vision
Dr. Christian Stockmar
Chairman of the Austrian Crop Protection Association
'Pure hubris'
Patrick Dümmler
Head of Sustainability and Economic Policy at the Swiss Trade Association
We are bringing up the rear in Europe when it comes to plant protection
David Brugger
Head of Plant Production, Swiss Farmers’ Union
«Plant breeding calls for liberal rules»
Jürg Niklaus
Jürg Niklaus has a doctorate in law and is an advocate of plant breeding.
More pesticides, more genetic engineering: How we are overcoming hunger.
Markus Somm
Journalist, publicist, publisher and historian
«What plant breeding brings us»
Achim Walter
Professor of Crop Science, ETH Zurich
Content in German