APD SEE with panel discussion at the IAMO Forum 2024

The IAMO Forum 2024 took place in Halle (Saale) from Jun 26-28, 2024. This year's overarching theme was „The Functions of Land in Times of Change: Environmental, Social, and Economic Perspectives”.

The Agricultural Policy Dialogue Germany – South Eastern Europe (APD SEE) also took part again – this time with the panel discussion on "Climate Change Adaptation and the Role of Soil". The panel was opened by Boban Ilic, Secretary General of SWG, who presented the activities of APD SEE. Afterwards, four representatives from universities and research institutions in the Western Balkans presented various aspects of the topic:

• Endrit Kullaj: Vulnerability of crops and capacity to adapt in Albania
• Stanko Milic: Effects on climate change to soils in Serbia
• Ruzica Stricevic: Water and soil in Serbia, climate change influence and solutions
• Aleksandra Martinovska Stojcheska: Social dimension of climate change adaptation in the Western Balkan

The delegation from the Western Balkans was also offered a small supporting program, which included visits to the BonaRes program at the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research GmbH – UFZ and the Institute of Agricultural and Nutritional Sciences at Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg. In addition to visits to the laboratories and lively exchanges with scientists, the field visit to the Kühnfeld enriched the program.

Next year, the IAMO Forum will be held on the topic of “Rural Roots and Routes: Navigating complexities of quality of life, immobility, and migration” – certainly again with a contribution from APD SEE with experiences from the region.