Tomas Bata University in Zlín

The Faculty Co-Creates the Future of Sustainable Agriculture in Europe

How can Europe farm more sustainably while ensuring the prosperity of its farmers? This question was at the heart of the expert workshop “Agroecology Living Labs”, held within the European initiative AE Partnership – Partnership for Agroecology.

The event brought together representatives from science, practice, and policy – farmers, researchers, and public administration officials discussed how best to develop agroecological approaches across Europe.

The workshop, organized by the Faculty of Logistics and Crisis Management of Tomas Bata University in Zlín, focused on three key topics:

• mapping agroecological activities and sharing experiences from so-called Living Labs,

• identifying gaps and opportunities for the development of agroecological approaches,

• assessing the impacts of agroecological measures on sustainability, biodiversity, and agricultural resilience.

“Agroecology is not only about changing the way we farm; it is about a systemic transformation that connects ecology, economy, and social responsibility. We are proud that our faculty can be part of this European dialogue,”
said Prof. Zuzana Tučková, Ph.D., Dean of the Faculty.

The discussion was held in an open and participatory format, allowing every participant to actively contribute their experience. Together, they developed a draft of a unified monitoring framework that will serve to evaluate the impacts of agroecological approaches across various European regions.

“The insights gained will help us better direct research and innovation in agroecology. Our faculty has long been committed to linking science with practice, and events like this are key to effective knowledge transfer,”
added Assoc. Prof. Pavel Taraba, Ph.D., Vice-Dean for Research and Science.

The Prague workshop was part of a broader European effort that is also taking place in Belgium, Germany, and Italy. The outcomes of the national meetings will be used to finalize the conceptual framework of the AE Partnership.

The European Partnership for Agroecology, funded under the Horizon Europe programme, brings together the European Commission and 72 partners from 26 countries. The project officially started on January 1, 2024, and will run until December 31, 2030, with a total budget of €300 million. Its goal is to strengthen the agricultural sector to face climate change, biodiversity loss, and food security challenges—while remaining economically viable and attractive for farmers. The partnership combines EU and national resources to support top-tier research and innovation in line with the Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda.

“Agroecological approaches represent a key step towards a more sustainable future. When research institutions and farmers work together, they create solutions that strengthen the resilience and health of our agriculture,”
concluded Prof. Vladimír Sedlařík, Ph.D., Director of the Centre of Polymer Systems.