BIOLAND PRAXISFORSCHUNG GMBH

Their core work

Bioland Praxisforschung is the applied research arm of Bioland, Germany's largest organic farming association. They translate scientific findings into practical guidance for organic farmers, focusing on knowledge transfer, farmer networks, and on-farm demonstration. Their EU project work centers on building knowledge networks that connect organic agriculture research with real farming practice — from arable cropping and animal feed to biodiversity-driven agri-food value chains.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

Their early H2020 work (2015-2018) focused on building organic knowledge networks for specific production challenges — arable farming and animal feed. From 2018 onward, their scope broadened significantly toward farmer demonstration networks, peer-to-peer learning infrastructure, and AKIS advisory systems (NEFERTITI). Their most recent project (BIOVALUE, 2021) marks a shift toward biodiversity, underutilised crops, and simulation tools for agri-food value chains — moving from pure knowledge transfer into modelling the environmental impact of farming choices.

Moving from practical organic farming advice toward biodiversity and value chain modelling — suggesting future work will combine on-farm practice with environmental impact assessment tools.

How they like to work

Bioland Praxisforschung operates exclusively as a participant, never as coordinator — consistent with their role as a practitioner organization that brings real-farm expertise to research-led consortia. They work in large consortia (82 unique partners across 26 countries), indicating they are a trusted partner that adds applied credibility to academic projects. Their value to consortia is clear: they bridge the gap between research outputs and what farmers actually need and can implement.

Broad European network spanning 82 unique partners across 26 countries, built through participation in large multi-actor CSA and RIA projects. Their connections are strongest in the organic farming and agricultural advisory communities across Western and Central Europe.

What sets them apart

As the research subsidiary of Germany's largest organic farming association (Bioland, with 10,000+ member farms), they offer something most research partners cannot: direct access to a massive network of practicing organic farmers. This makes them invaluable for dissemination, on-farm testing, and ensuring research outputs are actually usable. For any consortium needing genuine farmer engagement — not token participation — they are one of the strongest partners in Germany.

Highlights from their portfolio

• BIOVALUE
  Their largest funded project (EUR 176,250) and a strategic pivot toward biodiversity modelling and underutilised crops in agri-food value chains.
• NEFERTITI
  A flagship EU farm demonstration network connecting 45 interactive innovation hubs across 17 countries — core to their farmer advisory expertise.
• OK-Net EcoFeed
  Addressed a critical bottleneck in organic farming — sourcing 100% organic feed for monogastric animals — with direct regulatory relevance.