What fundamental problem are you addressing?
Many people, especially young people, can imagine getting into food production and pursuing a natural, versatile and meaningful activity. However, they rarely have access to suitable land, the associated infrastructure or the necessary knowledge. They therefore lack the opportunity to test themselves in practice and develop a prototype before taking the step to implementation. This is where we see the potential for an incubator program to support and accompany budding gardeners in the development of their operating model. The increased involvement of motivated people without basic training in commercial vegetable growing can help to make a wide range of regional products available, alleviate the consequences of the shortage of skilled workers for the sector and maintain Switzerland's food security. In addition, the involvement of new social groups in agriculture can strengthen the urban-rural connection.
Which habits would you like to change or mainstream through which approach?
Thanks to technical innovations and increases in productivity, a farm now feeds significantly more people than a few decades ago. As a result, only 2.8% of employees in Switzerland work directly in agriculture and ensure a self-sufficiency rate of almost 50% (almost 100% for animal products). This development has ensured food security and prosperity, but at the same time, a large part of the population has alienated itself from food production. At the same time, society is still a long way from eating in an environmentally friendly way. Basics such as the “Planetary Health Diet”, which takes into account the health of humans and the planet equally, clearly recommend consuming multi-plant and less animal foods. With the DEMCO Farming Program, we want to connect people more with the basics of food and especially vegetable production. With the incubator, we are offering participants a platform to introduce participants to the craft production of regional and seasonal vegetables of good quality.
The practical farming experience in the co-farming program not only increases appreciation for food and ecological awareness, but also specifically anchors competencies in vegetable growing in the wider society.
We also want to give secondary and tertiary sector professionals the chance to diversify their working lives. Many of them are longing for balance and meaningful work in harmony with nature. But agriculture is an exclusive professional field that is only possible with access to a farm or land. It is also associated with high initial investments. It is often impossible for newcomers to find access to agricultural land. With the co-farming program, people can gain experience in professional vegetable growing while doing their job or training. They are integrated into the processes of an existing company. Land, equipment, tools and infrastructure are available locally and they can try out various sales strategies. In practice, they are advised by experienced gardeners when faced with challenges. They network with like-minded people and can produce vegetables for their market alone or as a team. Because of this, the profession of gardener, as a part-time or full-time position, should be visible as an option for more people. Overall, we are therefore aiming, in a sense, at democratizing vegetable production.
What would you like to work on during the booster?
During the booster, we would like to carry out a feasibility study to check whether and how the concept of agricultural incubators can be transferred to the Swiss context. The central questions are:
- Can the model be implemented in Switzerland? What structural, legal and cultural framework conditions must be created?
- In which geographical contexts is the model viable? We are investigating this as an example at our location in Freienstein-Teufen (a small, more rural village). In addition, the project will evaluate the translation into a larger and a smaller city.
- What specific challenges were there when implementing comparable projects?
- Does the model meet the actual needs of target groups, in particular of Tiny Farms Academy 2025 participants in Switzerland? We check whether the framework conditions of an incubator meet the needs and expectations of the target group.