Agriculture without chemistry?
Farmers are looking for new ways

A film by Tatjana Mischke
Commissioned by SWR.

Industrial agriculture promises high yields and cheap prices. This is made possible by the use of large machines and lots of chemicals. But we are increasingly feeling the downside: our drinking water is polluted with nitrates, insects are dying, and the soil is leaching. At the same time, the farmers themselves are reaching a dead end: more and more farmers are having to give up their farms because they can no longer withstand the pressure on prices. What alternatives are there to industrial agriculture? We accompany different farmers over a longer period of time and ask: what kind of farming will lead us into the future? Which model of farming is environmentally friendly and at the same time ensures that farmers can make a living from it?

Sven Wilhelm from Oberkirch is taking a radical turn: He is converting his vegetable cultivation to organic. A difficult time of transition lies ahead of him. Michael Reber from Schwäbisch Hall is taking a different path. He continues to work conventionally, but is trying to build up humus on his fields in a natural way using a new method. This should not only protect the environment, but also save money. Agricultural research projects confirm: between flawless organic and large-scale industrial agriculture, there are many such approaches that provide more sustainability in a simple way. However, it is becoming increasingly clear that consumers play a decisive role if environmentally friendly agriculture is to pay off for
farmers.

​Editor: Martin Schneider

TV-Premiere:
17.07.2019 at 20.15, SWR

Repetition:
19.07.2019 at 1:05, SWR

Available in streaming from the following providers:
Der Film ist auf dem YouTube-Kanal des SWR .