A Unique Living Lab to Be Established in Slovakia

Over the next two years, a Living Lab project will be implemented in collaboration with the Slovak Academy of Sciences (SAV) – Arboretum Mlyňany and with the support from the Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt (DBU).

The primary goal of the project is to promote the broader adoption of regenerative agriculture and agroforestry practices in Slovakia. All activities planned within the project aim to support the implementation of innovative agricultural methods that benefit the environment and mitigate the negative effects of climate change.

“The first step will be to compile available international and domestic expert and scientific information suitable for Slovak conditions in the fields of agroforestry and regenerative agriculture. This information will be collected, processed, and disseminated through a specialized portal, www.prepodu.sk, as well as through online materials and organized excursions,”explains Martin Gálik, Program Manager at the Ekopolis Foundation.

In addition to publishing a printed and online resource on this topic—which has so far been absent in Slovakia—the project will include excursions in real-world settings. These excursions will take place in existing agroforestry systems, on regeneratively managed fields, or within the Living Lab, the establishment of which is one of the project’s key goals. The project will also produce 10 informational and educational videos highlighting the importance of agroforestry and regenerative agriculture.

“Thanks to this project, a unique center will be established in Arboretum Mlyňany—a so-called Living Lab. The Living Lab will be one of the first demonstration centers of its kind in Slovakia, where the principles of regenerative agriculture and agroforestry will be comprehensively applied in one location,” adds Gálik.

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