Photo: Shutterstock Large gatherings on campus are still forbidden under the corona measures. Therefore, the opening of the academic year takes place almost entirely online. Only a select number of thirty guests are present on campus; the rest will attend the ceremony online. No less than 931 persons have registered.
Grutto!
The reason for this high number is likely the keynote speaker, Melchert Meijer zu Schlochtern. Ruben Smit Productions’ cameraman will show footage of the new Dutch nature documentary Grutto! And will discuss the images. This is a premiere, the film is still in production and is expected to be released towards the end of next year.
The movie illustrates the topic of this year’s opening: Nature and agriculture: a continuous balancing act. The black-tailed godwit (grutto, in Dutch, hence the name of the film), is a victim of this balancing act, and its survival is under threat. Intensive livestock farming has seriously damaged the bird’s natural habitat.
Young researchers
In addition to Meijer zu Schlochtern, two young researchers, Ali El-Hakeem and Raimon Ripoll-Bosch discuss the issue. PhD candidate El-Hakeem (Centre for Crop Systems Analysis) studies the effect of ground cover crops on the sustainability of agriculture. ‘My take away message is that sustainable agriculture requires both diversity and innovation.’
Combatting loss of biodiversity requires balancing acts on several fronts
Raimon Ripoll Bosch, researcher Animal Production Systems
Postdoc Ripoll Bosch (Animal Production Systems) studies the complex relationship between nature and food systems. He states that this includes more than just nature versus agriculture. ‘The loss of biodiversity is a more multi-faceted problem, that includes different world perspectives. Addressing this issue calls for more collaboration within WUR, says Ripoll Bosch.
World perspectives
‘Biodiversity has always been the domain of environmental sciences’, Ripoll-Bosch states. But we need to involve plant and animal sciences as well. ‘Combatting loss of biodiversity requires balancing acts on several fronts, in various contexts and different world perspectives.’
The opening of the academic year takes place today from 15:00 to 16:30 hr. Registration is currently closed, but you can log on from 15:00 hr.