As part of the IWANA project, a field dialogue was held on 20 May 2025 at the trial site in Bernburg-Strenzfeld, attracting strong interest. Farmers, advisors, and representatives from research, public administration and nature conservation came together to discuss the integration of valuable arable wild herbs into intensive arable farming systems.

Participants explored three thematic stations in small groups:

• Station 1 focused on the wild herbs themselves – their ecological importance, rarity, and the challenges of establishing them within cropping systems.
• Station 2 presented the cultivated crops, the overall cropping plan, and the project’s objectives and findings.
• Station 3 addressed the technical and mechanical implementation, particularly the requirements for sowing and maintenance in combination with wild herbs.

During the visit to the trial plots, six arable crops were presented, cultivated together with a mixture of 16 selected arable wild herbs. Participants engaged in practical discussions on how these approaches could be transferred into agricultural practice and what opportunities they might offer for biodiversity and cropping systems.

The field dialogue provided a valuable platform for exchange between practitioners and researchers, highlighting how innovative concepts can be jointly developed further.

Due to the successful exchange and positive feedback, another field dialogue is planned for the coming year, where the results and experiences from the ongoing trial will be presented and discussed. So it’s worth checking our website regularly – there may be something new to discover soon!