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Springboard to Biodiversity:

FarmBioNet's First Half-Year Highlights

Want to read this newsletter in your language? We thought of that!

This February, FarmBioNet officially took off in Ireland, where our project coordinator, Dr Saorla Kavanagh from Teagasc, welcomed 19 partners from across Europe to the Kick-Off Meeting. Together, we launched a shared mission: to boost Biodiversity-friendly farming across Europe by fostering meaningful knowledge exchange among farmers, foresters, researchers, advisors and other key stakeholders.

With collaboration at the heart of our project, the first six months have already laid strong roots for a thriving network.

FarmBioNet's team at a glance

What do we want to do?

Across 12 European countries, FarmBioNet is working to:

— Collect best practices in biodiversity-friendly farming

— Identify farm-specific needs and potential knowledge gaps

— Determine the most impactful practices for biodiversity and farm resilience

— Develop a practical tool for economic planning

— Kick-start real-time knowledge exchange

How will we achieve this?

Over three years, the project will carry out:

— Four rounds of workshops focused on best practices and innovations

— Participation in biodiversity-related events

— On-farm national and international exchange visits

— Stakeholder surveys to gather insights from the practice

— Dissemination of results to ensure broad accessibility and use

— Regular Newsletter to National Network (NN) members

Twelve National Networks, one goal

Ireland, Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Spain, Italy, Netherlands, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia, Germany and Switzerland:

Farming and Biodiversity National Networks (FaB NNs) are launched!

We are happy to announce that NNs are being developed in twelve partner countries, with a goal to provide valuable training through workshops and farm visits, to help practitioners not just adopt, but expand and share the best Biodiversity-Friendly Farming (BFF) practices.

These National Networks are open to all stakeholders who want to contribute.
Interested in joining? Head over to our blog to find out how to connect with your country's National Network!

JOIN THE NATIONAL NETWORK

The knowledge exchange has begun!

The FarmBioNet National Network leaders have kicked off workshops, farm visits, and newsletter sending, marking the start of real-time knowledge exchange across Europe.

These activities aim to validate collected research and highlight biodiversity best practices directly with farmers and practitioners.

Workshop hosted by the project coordinating organisation, Teagasc, in Ireland

Newsletter showcasing Austria's first Workshop hosted by Bio Austria

On stage and in focus

FarmBioNet was recently featured in the Signpost Series, a weekly Irish webinar and podcast series on sustainable agriculture. Dr Meritxell Grau Butinyac, Project Manager at Teagasc, presented our project, hosted by Mark Gibson, Head of Teagasc Outreach & Innovation.

Watch or listen to learn more about how FarmBioNet is pointing the way toward biodiversity-friendly farming.

Signpost Series: FarmBioNet

92nd International Agricultural Fair in Novi Sad, Serbia

Our partners from Foodscale Hub presented the project at the 92nd International Agricultural Fair in Serbia! Emanuele Giaufret, EU Ambassador to Serbia, visited the booth and learned more about our work from Mladen Radišić, CEO of Foodscale Hub.

While Serbia isn't yet part of our National Networks, the fair was a great chance to connect with local farmers and spark new conversations on biodiversity.

Additional Information

In the first months of FarmBioNet, we launched a new blog series to help readers understand what biodiversity is and why it matters.

● Farmland Biodiversity: What is it?

● What Biodiversity Really Means for Our Planet's Future

● Benefits That Can't Wait: Farmland Biodiversity for Farmers and Society

These posts break down key concepts and show how farmland biodiversity contributes to healthier ecosystems, more resilient agriculture, and climate action.

Stay tuned with our Newsroom — this is just the beginning:

Newsroom

What else is happening across FarmBioNet?

Alongside core activities, FarmBioNet partners are enhancing their skills through targeted trainings led by the Foodscale Hub. Sessions on capacity building and intellectual property are helping strengthen communication, innovation management, and long-term project impact.