BRIGHT Futures Hubs: Study Regions and Collaborations across Four Continents

To achieve our project goals, an interdisciplinary team of researchers from the University of Hohenheim—specializing in agricultural sciences, social sciences, ecology, and economics—will closely study successful examples of sustainable agriculture in Southern Germany, as well as in case studies conducted in Kenya, Mexico, and India. Through interdisciplinary fieldwork and in close collaboration with local partner institutions, the key socio-economic and ecological “ingredients” of these successful and climate-resilient farming practices will be identified and researched.

Study regions highlighting examples of promising agricultural systems with Bright Sports:
  • Agroforestry in Kerala, India, which combines shade-grown coffee with a variety of other crops (e.g., pepper, coconut, bananas). This system provides farmers with diversified income opportunities while also offering high value for biodiversity and carbon storage.
Agroforestry/intercropping in Kerala. Photo: V. Seufert
Coffee cultivation in Kerala. Photo: V. Seufert
  • Southern Germany, including the Allgäu region, where pasture management promotes biodiversity through extensive grazing. These practices help maintain valuable cultural landscapes and support rural economies, for instance through tourism.
  • The Milpa system in Oaxaca, Mexico, is a traditional mixed cropping practice that includes maize, beans, and pumpkin, with each crop supporting the others ecologically and nutritionally. Milpa systems enhance biodiversity, improve climate resilience, and are highly productive, contributing to food security for smallholder farmers.
Visual concept for Milpa-system
Traditional Milpa-cultivation in Oaxaca, Mexico. Photo: M. Galicia
  • Pasture management in Western Kenya (Siaya County), where dairy farming is primarily practiced by smallholders. This system fosters landscape heterogeneity, providing a strong foundation for promoting biodiversity in the managed grasslands. Additionally, species-rich grasslands exhibit greater resilience to climate change impacts, such as droughts, which helps ensure the stability of agricultural production and farmers' income in the future.