Department ofSustainable Agricultural Systems

WURZINGER MOITZI FRIEDEL

DNAS– Introduction – September 2011

Objectives

Contributing to a network of sustainable agricultural systems, which provide food, renewable resources, energy and other services relevant for society.

• productivity issues

• characteristics of production systems, including the role of producers and stake holders

• societal demands on agricultural production processes

DNAS– Introduction – September 2011

Starting points

Sustainable Agriculture Systems Agricultural engineering, occupational

safety, biogas, energy efficiency, solar drying, …

Animal husbandry, adequate housing, feeding, breeding, animal welfare, …

Organic farming, crop rotations, soil fertility, legumes, farmers, society, …

AMON

ZOLLITSCH

VOGL

DNAS– Introduction – September 2011

DNAS on the pathway towards sustainability

Business as usual not longer an option - fundamental shift;

Diversity and multifunctionality; Animal health & welfare; Next generaton biofuels and energy efficiency; Increase productivity in a sustainable way; fair;

organic; Resource poor farmers, small and minorities; Rural women – role, education, health, extension,

science; Revalorization of traditional and local knowledge; Local cultivars and breeds for site specific

adaptation; Etc. VOGL

DNAS– Introduction – September 2011

Heads: Department for Sustainable Agriculture SystemsBOKU University, H930(Version 21. Nov. 2010)

Head of DepartmentVogl

Deputy HeadZolltitsch, Weingartmann

DNAS-SecretaryLöffler

Division of LivestockSciences (DLS)

Winckler

Division of AgriculturalEngineering (DAE)

Weingartmann

Division of OrganicFarming (DOF)

Friedel

WG Soil Fertility &Cropping Systems

Friedel

WG Knowledge Systems& Innovation

Vogl

WG TransdisciplinarySystems Research

Freyer

WG Animal Husbandry

Winckler

WG Animal Breeding

Sölkner

WG Feeding Systems

Zollitsch

WG Animal Husbandry& Environ. Engineering

Amon

WG AgriculturalProcess Engineering

Boxberger

WG Basics ofAgricultural Engineering

Weingartmann

DNAS– Introduction – September 2011

Teaching

The DNAS contributes with teaching courses and advising students during their bachelor and master theses in the following study programmes:

Bachelor Agricultural Sciences; Bachelor Equine Science (in

cooperation with VUW); Master Livestock Sciences; Master Organic Farming; Int. Master Organic Agriculture and

Food Systems (EUR-Organic); Master Agro Biology;

Master Applied Plant Sciences; Master Environmental Sciences -

Soil, Water and Biodiversity (ENVEURO);

Double Degree Programme: Material and Energetic Utilization of Renewable Resources

International Master Horticultural Sciences;

Master Management of Environment and Bio Resources;

Erasmus Mundus Master Animal Breeding and Genetics.

Several summer schools

DNAS– Introduction – September 2011

Working Group “Soil Fertility and Cropping Systems”

Soil Fertility and Nutrient Cycling, low livestock density• Symbioses in organic farming• Closing nutrient cycles

on stockless organic farms• Effects of organic fertilisers

on soil fertility, yield and quality Cropping Systems in Organic Farming

• Pre-crop effects of main crops and cover crops• Crop rotation design in organic farming, including energy crops / oil crops• Improving drought tolerance and site adaptation of lucerne (alfalfa)• Improving yield stability and quality of cash crops wheat and potato

Resource Protection by Organic Farming• Management effects on nitrate leaching, budgets of greenhouse gases • Indicators for biodiversity

DNAS– Introduction – September 2011

Working Group „Knowledge Systems and Innovation“

Local knowledge (ethno-sciences approach)

• on agrobiodiversity, plant, soil, climate and water management;

• transmission and transformation of knowledge, ways of knowing. Innovation processes

• in organic farming

• farmers experiments, involved actors and institutions, their social networks and the legal framework, impact on regional processes.

Socio-ecological systems & resilience perspective

• e.g. on homegardens; on organic food networks.

DNAS– Introduction – September 2011

Working Group „Transdis-ciplinary Systems Research“

IFOAM principles (farmer – consumer relations): Fairness and Justice, “Quality” / Responsibility, …

Societal Discourse: Monasteries and Sustainability (rural context), Media Analysis on OA, Initiating sustainable processes by OA

Adaptation and Adoption processes of the OA-Movement: Coping with societal Change (CC, food security, EU regulations…)

Theorizing Organic Agriculture: Systems Theory, Practice Theory,… - to make OA explicit

Dev. Countries: Contributions to sustainable agriculture and food systems (cropping system, biofuel production, social, ecological and economic transition processes; East Africa, Nicaragua) (six projects ongoing)

DNAS– Introduction – September 2011

Working Group ‚Animal Husbandry‘

Aim: Understanding and improving farm animal health and welfare (‚fourth‘ pillar of sustainable livestock farming systems)

Applied ethology• E.g. social behaviour, sleep in animals, abnormal behaviours • Innovative housing systems

Animal welfare assessment• Feasible on-farm welfare assessment protocols • Promising new parameters

Health and welfare planning• Practical on-farm strategies (including epidemiology)• Organic livestock production

DNAS– Introduction – September 2011

Working group „Animal Breeding“

Quantitative Genetics (Sölkner) Conservation Genetics (Fürst-Waltl) Design of Breeding Programs (Willam) Animal Breeding in the Tropics (Wurzinger)

DNAS– Introduction – September 2011

Working group "Feeding Systems"

Sustainability of livestock production systems

• Ecological pillar of sustainability (nutrient flow, emissions etc.)

• Efficiency of livestock production systems Feed resource development

• Alpine livestock production systems

• Organic livestock production

• Animal production in the tropics Feeding management

• Analysis and optimization

• Low input / organic livestock production

DNAS– Introduction – September 2011

WG: „Animal husbandry & environmental engineering “

Bioenergy• Biogas• Residues• Cascade utilization• Adapted crop rotation systems

Renewable resources• Biorefineries• Feedstock for industrial utilization• Reduction of emissions

DNAS– Introduction – September 2011

Working Group “Agricultural Process Engineering”

Gender related more effective, efficient and healthier working systems

Energy-input and Energy efficiency in agriculture

• Soil tillage

• GPS-based automatically steering systems

• Energy analysis of different farm types

• Assessement of agricultural engineering in respect of external effects (e.g. soil compaction etc.)

DNAS– Introduction – September 2011

Working Group „Basics of Agricultural Engeneering“

Drying technology Solar Energy for Agriculture Climatic engineering Post harvest technology

DNAS– Introduction – September 2011

Infrastructure

Office rooms; Laboratory rooms; Storage rooms; Access to BOKU experimental station Groß-Enzersdorf;

incl. 26 ha certified organic farming; From 2011 onwards: office rooms and lab at UFT (new

BOKU site at Tulln); A technical laboratory (Maschinenhalle).