future of
Nutrition in
Lower Saxony
ZERN is a research and transfer network initiated by the University of Göttingen, the University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover and the German Institute of Food Technology in Quakenbrück, which aims to support the transformation of the agricultural and food system in Lower Saxony, which is under increasing pressure to adapt. The findings from the research alliance should enable the sustainable production, processing and marketing of food.
We would like to present the three prioritized topics in ZERN – arable farming, grassland use, animal husbandry – as well as the ongoing ZERN projects and the three junior research groups working on cross-cutting topics in the network.
How can arable farming be operated in an ecologically and economically profitable way in the future, given the current challenges of regulated nutrient supply and the regulated use of pesticides, extreme weather events and ever decreasing agricultural land?
How can we make the most effective use of our valuable grassland resource in the future? Is grazing for ruminants the best option or can technical processes perhaps also make a significant contribution to the development of grassland protein?
What should our livestock farming look like in the future? How do we resolve conflicting goals such as “biosecurity in free-range farming” and “animal health in alternative production systems”?
Food production is under pressure from climate change, resource scarcity and global competitive structures. What exactly is the "right" diet? How can we organise value chains in such a way that healthy, affordable and ecologically sound food is available to everyone?
How do we get our results "to the people"? We are testing various strategies, from the Citizen Lab to social media and cookery programmes.
Curious about how we will eat tomorrow? 🌱 In the current issue of Rundblick Niedersachsen, an article provides insights into our ZERN network and thus into the future of food in Lower Saxony: from more plant-based options to innovative solutions for a sustainable supply for future generations.
On 3 July 2025 and 4 July 2025, an exciting and well-attended conference was held in the Paulinerkirche at the University of Göttingen on the topic of cultivation systems that position themselves between organic and conventional agriculture.
The conference was organised by the University of Göttingen in cooperation with ZERN, which funded the conference, and the joint project NOcsPS 2.0 ("Agriculture without synthetic chemical plant protection").
The ZERN network started in 2024 with selected, forward-looking, scientific research projects, which have already been expanded in an "open call" to include further projects with current topics. In order to do justice to the overarching issues of ZERN, this thematic call will now focus on the starting point (arable farming, soil) and end point of the value chain (sustainable diets, society).
For potential new projects, it is assumed that they contribute to the overall logic of ZERN - i.e: Agriculture in functioning ecosystems, regional food economy in a global context, innovative food and sustainable nutrition.
Prof Nicole Kemper from the TiHo Hannover and Prof Bernhard Brümmer from the University of Göttingen, two of the initiators of the ZERN network, have been guests in recent weeks on the NAGuK podcast - the podcast of the Lower Saxony State Health Office and on 63 Hektar - the agricultural podcast from NDR Lower Saxony.
The 6th episode of the NAGuK podcast is about the coexistence of animals and humans in a changing climate - and the diverse interactions in this shared ecosystem.
Specialist veterinarian and Institute Director explains what impact animal hygiene has on us humans, why cows release methane and whether we need to prepare for new zoonoses as a result of climate change.
The ZERN network is initially focussing on the areas of animal husbandry, grassland use and arable farming. Three initial sub-projects have already begun in the respective subject areas. In animal husbandry, this is the initial project "Future-oriented fattening pig husbandry", in grassland management the initial project "Development of an extraction and functionalisation process for the use of protein from green biomass in human nutrition" and in arable farming the initial project "Adaptation strategies for arable farming in Lower Saxony".
What should the food of tomorrow look like and what can Lower Saxony's agricultural and food industry contribute to this?
It is often possible to watch others cooking live in front of the camera, but it has rarely been possible to have an in-depth discussion about where the contents of the saucepan and frying pan actually come from and how they will be produced today and in the future. In September 2024, three webinars were held by the "ZERN Research and Transfer Network". The webinar series "Culinary Future Talk" was broadcast live from the Teaching Kitchen
