FELD 1/2025

INTERVIEW INNOVATION IN

INTERVIEW INNOVATION IN LUSATIA The aim of Land-Innovation-Lausitz (LIL) is to develop Lusatia into a model region for adapting land use to climate change. This is to be achieved with the help of innovative technologies, sustainable forms of land use, and the bioeconomy. LIL is jointly managed by the Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg as well as the Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF) and is funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research as part of the »Change through Innovation in the Region«(WIR!) program. 02

Interview Mr. Ewert, why did you get ZALF involved in Lusatia with Land-Innovation-Lausitz? In 2021, we were asked whether we would support the development of this region and contribute our experience and knowledge to LIL more extensively. In Lusatia, we face the particular challenge of very poor soils, in terms of fertility and also very low rainfall. From an agricultural production perspective, this region cannot, of course, be characterized as a wasteland, but it can certainly be characterized as challeging. In addition, we saw Lusatia as a region that is currently undergoing many changes and where our expertise in the field of agricultural landscape research can make a meaningful contribution to supporting these transformations. For us, this is an interesting challenge that we are happy to help tackle. What exactly does the LIL research alliance do? It is primarily concerned with land use and with the question which innovations, research, and development activities can contribute to making agriculture and land use in this region more climate-resilient and sustainable for future generations. We present details of our LIL projects in this FELD issue. The structural shift has created enormous momentum in the region, on top of which exist the limiting factors for agricultural production that I mentioned earlier. This is a very challenging situation for everyone in Lusatia. Our work therefore aims to strengthen agriculture as a sector, to give this region a unique selling point in terms of value creation and innovation within the context of bioeconomy. This can serve as an example, for other regions with similar challenges. As a scientist, you travel all over the world. How does Lusatia fit into this picture? Can it really be a model region, and if so, for what? If we look at agricultural production sites worldwide, only a comparatively small proportion of the land can be characterized as highly productive. Much of agriculture takes place under less than optimal conditions or even in marginal productive locations. Due to global climate change, agriculture in many parts of the world is increasingly exposed to droughts. But even regions that are not yet so affected by drought will experience some of the negative effects of climate change eventually. In this respect, Lusatia is an exemplary region for others. Here, we can already see what other regions will face in the future. In Lusatia, it is particularly important to put the economy on new foundations. How can LIL contribute to this? Our goal is to initiate the development of cultivation and production processes as well as new technologies. This includes certain economical innovations, for example in sensor technology and technological know-how, as well as changes in production systems, whether it be growing new types of crops or the development and utilization of new materials and products. We also want to break new ground, for example in the use of digitalization and the development of certain bio-based materials. All of this should as well introduce new attractive jobs and further innovations into the region, which in turn will have a positive impact on the surrounding area. Interview: Elke Thiele. Prof. Dr. Frank Ewert is Scientific Director of ZALF and one of the two LIL alliance spokespersons. 03