In the picturesque hills of Unterharmersbach, where the Fritsch family has operated agriculture since 1873, climate change is presenting the region against unprecedented challenges. Dry periods and extreme weather conditions increase feed production and strain the animals. But the RESKUH project is aimed at an innovative solution that combines farmers in Germany, France and Switzerland. The use of the latest technologies and common expertise promotes sustainability and animal welfare.
Unterharmersbach in the Black Forest. The Kuretzhof is located on a slope just outside the village. The Fritsch family is already in the fifth generation here. The year 1873 in the stone arc of the barn input refers to the long tradition. The area is characterized by courtyards, pastures and fields. Practically every family in town has a family relationship, says Sonja Fritsch. She runs the company together with her husband. Over the centuries, the farmers have had to do with weather caps from time to time, but climate change now presents farmers with completely new challenges. Dry periods paired with extreme weather events affect feed production. Hot stables mean stress for the animals, and this can also affect the performance of the dairy cows, explains Sonja Fritsch. Climate change affects all of us and very different. If you look at certain regions such as here on the Upper Rhine, the challenges for the agricultural economy are similar across borders, and so there is also an opportunity to find common answers for farmers in Germany, France and Switzerland.
An alliance from the Alsace Chamber of Agriculture, the Landesverband Baden-Württemberg (LKV BW) and cross-border partners works on solutions that benefit people, animals and the environment sustainably: the Reskuh project. In the case of the Fritsch family, this is an analysis of the climatic conditions in the stable. A special diagnostic device is used, which is reminiscent of a mixture of magic wand and antenna even when looking at the second. Every four meters, Clément Eck, Commissioned Climate Change at the Chamber of Agriculture in Alsace and Pilot of the Reskuh project, takes measurements and can thus design a gluing map of the barn. From this, for example, it can be derived where fans make sense or other measures are helpful for a better indoor climate.
For technical support, consulting services in the field of resource optimization, energy saving and production and animal health are added, adds Dr. Elisa Strang, responsible at the LKV BW for the health monitoring of BW and Kopilotin of the Reskuh Project. Many synergies can be used because tools and methods are shared among the international project partners.
The project is funded by the European Union. A good half of the approximately 3.2 million euros comes from Brussels.
A single company would not have the opportunity to accumulate so much expertise in -house, says Sonja Fritsch. The adjustments have been measurably improved both animal welfare and emissions per liter of milk. Resource management helps reduce water consumption.
At the end of the project, around 250 cattle breeding companies in three countries benefit from the results. And of course countless happier cows.
Further information on the Reskuh project can also be found at: https://agroecologie-rhin.eu/de/reskuh-de/
Project description:
Cohesion policy has defined clear goals for the 2021-2027 funding period: a Europe, a more networked Europe, a more networked Europe, a social Europe and a citizenship in Europe. Sustainable challenges focus on society, especially in Germany and its neighboring countries. As part of the “EU4 Region” project, high -quality multimedia and journalistic information on cohesion policy is produced and then spread broadly. Within 12 months, Interreg projects from West and East Germany and the neighboring countries/regions are reported to show local challenges. The countries concerned are Poland, the Czech Republic, Austria, Switzerland, France, the Netherlands and Denmark. Our thematic focus is sustainability, whereby we understand sustainability as a whole. Although the focus is on climate issues, they are supplemented by economic and social aspects. The aim is to show how EU co-esion policy affects regions and people.