The project run by the ‘Sustainable Potted Plant Cultivation NRW’ consortium, of which Rhein-Waal University of Applied Sciences is a member, has been nominated in the ‘Best Collaboration of the Year’ category for the TASPO Award 2019.
The working group – a consortium comprising a university, the “Nachhaltige Zierpflanzenproduktion e.V.” association (comprising 17 horticultural businesses), the North Rhine-Westphalia Chamber of Agriculture and “Das Grüne Medienhaus (GMH)” – is currently developing – is jointly developing a system for the holistic assessment of sustainability in horticulture. The demands placed on businesses by suppliers, retailers and customers regarding sustainability are increasing significantly, necessitating a rethink of production methods. At Rhein-Waal University of Applied Sciences, all aspects of production within the companies are being analysed and assessment criteria for a sustainability analysis are being defined. In addition to expert discussions and an analysis of how sustainability is understood in the pot plant sector, this also involves in-depth interviews with farm managers on ecological, economic and social issues. A novel aspect of this project is that the innovation originates from within the businesses themselves, thereby ensuring a direct link to practical application. General areas for action are then derived from the results, and individual solutions are developed for the farms. The project is funded as part of the ‘European Innovation Partnership for Agricultural Productivity and Sustainability’ (EIP-AGRI) funding programme.
“Through this project, together with our partners, we are laying the foundations for resource-efficient and future-proof pot plant production in North Rhine-Westphalia. “We are very proud that our work has earned us a place amongst the finalists for this year’s TASPO Award,” says Professor Dagmar Mithöfer – Professor of Agribusiness and project lead at Rhein-Waal University of Applied Sciences – expressing her delight at the university’s first nomination. This marks the 14th time that TASPO, the leading trade publication for the horticultural sector, has recognised outstanding ideas and individuals in its field. Innovations and new initiatives are honoured across a total of 18 different categories. The jury comprises renowned figures from the horticultural sector and related fields. The announcement of this year’s winners and the awards ceremony will take place on 25 October 2019 at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Berlin.
For more information on the research project, visit: natuerlich-nachhaltig.info/eip-projekt/
