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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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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) 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, traditional farming systems represent an interesting agricultural model considering their potential role in driving a resilient and sustainable transition of agrifood systems at all levels (environmental, social, economic, cultural).

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.

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?

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.

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.