Farmers from across Europe discuss biodiversity and economic viability in Romania
The first international knowledge exchange within the EU’s FarmBioNet project focused on species-rich meadows and pastures of Transylvania in Romania. Farmers from 12 National Farming and Biodiversity Networks used the three-day field trip as an opportunity for an in-depth exchange.
Eighteen Months of Growing a Network Committed to Biodiversity and Farming
Eighteen months can lay the foundation for something meaningful. For FarmBioNet, they have meant bringing together farmers, researchers, advisors, foresters, and other stakeholders from across Europe to exchange knowledge, showcase practical solutions, and strengthen a growing community dedicated to biodiversity-friendly farming.
Farming with Nature: Insights from José Fernando Robles
José Fernando Robles is Head of Sustainability and Coordinator of the FarmBioNet National Network in Spain. With over 25 years of experience working alongside farmers at ASAJA-Sevilla, he has a first-hand understanding of the link between agriculture and biodiversity.
FarmBioNet in Romania: First International Exchange Visit
From 22 to 24 June, FarmBioNet held its first international exchange visit in Sighișoara, Romania. Hosted by the Romanian National Network lead, Fundatia ADEPT Transilvania, the event brought together farmers and project partners from all 12 FarmBioNet National Networks across Europe.
From blue to red, from rich to rare: What are warming stripes telling us?
As another summer brings record-breaking temperatures across much of Europe, one question becomes increasingly difficult to ignore: what story is our planet trying to tell us? The answer can be found in a deceptively simple graphic known as the Warming Stripes: a visual representation that condenses nearly two centuries of temperature data into a sequence of coloured bands.
FarmBioNet Communication Reaches Farmers and Stakeholders Across Europe
Since the start of the project, the FarmBioNet team has been actively sharing results and engaging stakeholders across Europe to ensure that knowledge on biodiversity-friendly farming reaches a wide and diverse audience. Thanks to these efforts, FarmBioNet has achieved visibility in 40+ media outlets and online portals across partner countries and languages.
A New Collaborative Initiative Between FarmBioNet & LivingSoiLL
FarmBioNet has established a new collaboration with LivingSoiLL aimed at addressing some of the most pressing challenges facing Europe, such as soil degradation, biodiversity loss, and the impacts of climate change.
Traditional Agrifood Systems and Landscapes (TASLs) as Biodiversity and Agrobiodiversity Hotspots
Traditional Agrifood Systems and Landscapes (TASLs) are the result of a long process of observation, experimentation, adaptation and co-evolution of rural communities to the surrounding environment. Over centuries, farmers have developed and adopted agricultural practices that combine food production with the sustainable management of natural resources, creating landscapes characterized by high ecological, cultural, and economic value. Unlike modern intensive agricultural systems, which often rely on monocultures, mechanization, and large quantities of external inputs,…
Three days of FarmBioNet consortium meeting in Florence, Italy
From productive discussions in the meeting room to hands-on learning in the Tuscan countryside, the second FarmBioNet Consortium Meeting in Florence demonstrated how it looks like when researchers, advisors, farmers, and communication experts work together around a shared goal: strengthening biodiversity-friendly farming across Europe.
From a Small Online Meeting to a Living Network: The Story of Bulgarian National Network for Biodiversity Friendly-Farming Practices
When the Bulgarian National Network for Biodiversity-Friendly Farming was formally established in March 2025 as part of the FarmBioNet Horizon Europe project, the team at the University of Forestry faced a challenge that many network builders know well: how do you inspire people around something that is still just a vision?
FarmBioNet Team Explores Agritourism and Traditional Olive Farming in Tuscany
As part of the FarmBioNet consortium meeting, the international project team travelled to Tuscany. The second day of the meeting included a field visit to two agritourism farms specializing in traditional olive cultivation.
FarmBioNet Capacity Building Session 4: Farmer Portrait Video Analysis & Editing
The fourth capacity building workshop focused on analysing farmer portrait video content and strengthening participants’ skills in identifying what makes effective and engaging storytelling in video format.
Biodiversity on the Agenda at the 93rd International Agricultural Fair, Novi Sad, Serbia
By participating in this year’s 93rd International Agricultural Fair in Novi Sad, held from May 16th to May 21st, our partners from Future Systems Hub showcased its projects through interactive presentations and activities, roundtable discussions, and technology demonstrations that are shaping the future of agrifood systems. The event attracted around 120,000 visitors, highlighting its significance as one of the key agricultural gatherings in the region and beyond.
Why Solitary Bees Need Our Support
A bee moves between flowers in a field, a garden, a roadside verge, or a hedgerow. There is no visible hive, no beekeeper nearby, no honey to produce- only the bee, carrying out a vital service, pollination. An act that can go unnoticed by many. Solitary bees help to sustain wild plant communities and play a crucial role in the pollination of many crops.
Third FarmBioNet Capacity Building Training 3: The Art of Interviewing
The third capacity building training session brought together national network leaders for an interactive workshop titled “The Art of Interviewing”, focused on strengthening skills for conducting effective and ethical interviews with farmers.
What Can Research on Pollination Learn From FarmBioNet Results?
FarmBioNet’s partner Jana Bundschuh from Leibniz-Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF) shared insights on recent results from FarmBioNet at the 73rd Annual Conference of the Association of Institutes for Bees Research. The conference in March was organized by the Institute for Bee Conservation at Julius Kühn Institute Braunschweig (JKI). The institute was celebrating its 10 th anniversary with about 160 guests.
Biodiversity as the Foundation of Agricultural Sustainability: Insights from Dr Darko Znaor
With experience spanning more than 150 projects across 25 European and 6 Asian countries, Dr Darko Znaor, a visiting lecturer and researcher at leading European universities and a member of the FarmBioNet consortium, reflects on his extensive career and reveals why he sees biodiversity as the foundation of agricultural sustainability.
The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Key Findings for Wild European Pollinators
The latest update reports on the conservation status of numerous species, including amphibians, bees, beetles, butterflies, damselflies, dragonflies, freshwater fishes, mammals, molluscs, reptiles, and saproxylic (wood-dependent) species. Read the main outcomes of the latest assessment and what they reveal about the state of wild European pollinators.
New Collaboration on the Horizon: FarmBioNet & VALOR
FarmBioNet and VALOR are announcing a strategic collaboration to share knowledge and raise awareness about protecting pollinators and biodiversity. Together, they aim to help stakeholders understand the crucial role pollinators play and facilitate the exchange of knowledge on safeguarding biodiversity and supporting healthy ecosystems.
FarmBioNet Year One: Key Milestones and Early Outcomes
As the year comes to a close, we take a moment to reflect on our achievements, review our work, and look ahead to what’s next. Since its launch in January, FarmBioNet has made strong progress, and here we highlight what we have achieved so far.
Biodiversity-Focused Farm Visits and Workshops in 12 European Countries
Throughout September, October and November, our partners gathered farmers, foresters, researchers, advisors, and other key stakeholders working in agriculture and biodiversity to shape the next phase of action for protecting biodiversity. Here are the key highlights!
Actions for Enhancing Farmland Biodiversity
By implementing biodiversity-friendly practices, you can support biodiversity and build a stronger, more resilient farm. Here are some practical steps to help you get started.
Biodiversity and the Sustainable Development Goals
This blog explores the connection between biodiversity and the Sustainable Development Goals, and explains why protecting and restoring nature must be at the heart of efforts to build a more sustainable and resilient future.
How do We Cultivate Knowledge? FarmBioNet at a Round Table on Citizen Science in Food and Agriculture
FarmBioNet’s parrtner Jana Bundschuh from Leibniz-Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF) , was presenting FarmBioNet and specifically its 12 networks on biodiversity-friendly farming at the round table, PartWiss 25, in November in Leipzig, Germany.
Agroecology in Practice: Corinne Zurbruegg on Farming for Biodiversity
As the leader of the Swiss National Network within FarmBioNet, Dr Corinne Zurbruegg, bridges research, policy, and on-farm practice. In this interview, she shares insights on what is working well, the challenges that remain, and the biggest opportunities for biodiversity-friendly farming.
Global Plans to Restore Biodiversity – The Time is Now!
Global initiatives are stepping in to restore degraded lands - for biodiversity and for people alike. These efforts do more than increase species counts; they aim to reconnect people, food and nature in ways that could shape the coming decades.
How We Can Work Together to Support Biodiversity
Biodiversity is essential for all of us. While individual actions matter, protecting biodiversity is not something we can achieve alone. It requires coordinated, long-term efforts from everyone, including farmers, foresters, researchers, advisors, policymakers and local communities. Only by working together can we support biodiversity effectively and create landscapes that are both: productive and healthy.
Insights from FarmBioNet’s First Workshops Across Europe
Our 12 National networks are steadily growing and becoming more active each day, united by a shared goal - protecting and promoting biodiversity. These networks have already organised their first workshops, providing participants with the opportunity to learn more about biodiversity-friendly farming (BFF) practices and to exchange valuable knowledge and experiences.
European Biodiversity Status and Threats
Without urgent action, up to one million species, out of an estimated eight million worldwide, are at risk of extinction. In this article, we explore European biodiversity status and the greatest threats driving its decline.
United in Protecting Biodiversity: The FarmBioNet and RestPoll Partnership
We are excited to announce our partnership with RestPoll, a Horizon Europe project dedicated to restoring pollinator habitats across agricultural landscapes in Europe. This strategic collaboration represents a significant step forward in adopting, expanding, and sharing biodiversity-friendly farming practices.
FarmBioNet’s Mid-Year Highlights: Insights from our First Newsletter
This update highlights some of the key achievements so far, showcasing how our collective efforts are advancing the mission to promote friendly farming practices and foster knowledge exchange among farmers, researchers, and other stakeholders across Europe.
AGRI4POL and FarmBioNet Join Forces to Enhance Biodiversity Across Europe
AGRI4POL and FarmBioNet are both Horizon Europe projects committed to advancing biodiversity across Europe. Recognising the importance of collaboration to maximise impact, AGRI4POL and FarmBioNet have joined forces to broaden their outreach and engagement.
What are biodiversity-friendly farming practices?
Farmers are the heart of agriculture, and the choices they make shape not only what ends up on our plates but also the health of the ecosystems around us. In this article, we will explore the concept of Biodiversity-Friendly Farming (BFF) practices, which is an essential first step toward more resilient agriculture.
Benefits That Can’t Wait: Farmland Biodiversity for Farmers and Society
Since farmland covers most of Europe’s land, the way we manage it plays a key role in helping to halt biodiversity loss. Here is how farmland biodiversity benefits not just farmers, but society as a whole.
Second FarmBioNet Capacity Building Training: Strengthening Communication Impact
FarmBioNet has established a new collaboration with LivingSoiLL aimed at addressing some of the most pressing challenges facing Europe, such as soil degradation, biodiversity loss, and the impacts of climate change.
What Biodiversity Really Means for Our Planet’s Future
Explore why biodiversity matters and why its protection is essential for a healthier, more sustainable future.
Farmland Biodiversity: What is it?
Our first informative blog lays the groundwork, by exploring a fundamental question: What is biodiversity, and why is it important for farmland?
FarmBioNet Capacity Building Training I: KPI Guidelines & Content Creation Best Practices
The first FarmBioNet Capacity Building Training was held in person during the FarmBioNet Kick-off Meeting in Dublin, February. It focused on KPI guidelines, best practices, and the role of partners in creating effective communication content for the project.
Twelve National Networks, One Goal: Biodiversity-Friendly Farming with FarmBioNet
The FarmBioNet project is setting up farming and biodiversity national networks (FaB NNs) in 12 countries alongside an EU-wide thematic network.
How the FarmBioNet project is helping protect farmland biodiversity in Europe
Biodiversity is the variety of all life on Earth – and it underpins our daily lives. It provides clean air, fresh water, healthy soils, and pollination. It also helps tackle climate change, supports adaptation, and reduces the impact of natural hazards. Yet despite these benefits, biodiversity is declining at an alarming rate. It is estimated that one million species out of a total of eight million are threatened with extinction.
FarmBioNet Project Launches: European Project Aims to Boost Biodiversity in Farmland and Forestry
The Horizon Europe project FarmBioNet officially begun this January.