With these funds, the non-profit association in South Africa could include more kindergartens and schools in the urgently needed "school lunch" project and further expand its sustainable development aid regionally.

Video link "Healthy school meals" together we care" (3min.)

Video link "Training women in agriculture and entrepreneurship" (3min.)

You can find all information at www.feed-ev.de or contact our Edith Brasche, Vice-President FEED e.V..

"We have seen what we can create with and for the local people," explains Edith Brasche from FEED. "Our goal is to go beyond self-sufficiency to create new jobs and income for local people in agriculture and vegetable and medicinal herb cultivation by offering them the opportunity to grow under the SUNfarming Food & Energy facilities free of charge after the trainings. When selling the surplus of vegetables and medicinal herbs, we support the former trainees so that they can build up a successful small business in the long run. The sponsoring of AURUBIS AG will bring us a big step forward and promote a sustainable support of the trainees over three years", says Edith Brasche.

Aurubis AG is a leading global supplier of non-ferrous metals and one of the largest copper recyclers in the world. With its social commitment, the company focuses on the areas of environment, knowledge and participation - and supports both local and international projects. In addition to local projects in the countries where it operates, Aurubis has also been involved at an international level since 2019. After projects in Peru and Chile, Aurubis has also been supporting the non-profit association F.E.E.D. in South Africa, more precisely in the Potchefstroom region, for the first time since 2021.

Stefanie Klein, Social Engagement Aurubis AG, explains why: "We are pleased to be able to support F.E.E.D., a project that combats malnutrition, provides training in sustainable, ecological food cultivation and promotes the use of resource-saving technologies. The important approach of helping people to help themselves is in the foreground here, because targeted knowledge transfer enables the people in the project to participate in society - and ultimately it contributes to the further development of an entire region. For these reasons, this holistic project is an excellent fit for us and our focus areas."

This is what agrarheute writes in an article from 17 November 2023
Agritechnica highlight from the Energy Hall: Agri-Photovoltaics from SUNfarming.
This highlight from Agritechnica is not a horsepower powerhouse, but a clever photovoltaic system from the Energy Hall 24. Sun Farming offers agrivoltaics with extra-high mounts: There is enough space under the 3.60 metre high modules to provide shelter for cattle or chickens, for example. But special crops such as blueberries also find space and a good climate here.
Find out what makes them special in the video. Video-Link agrarheute: Vielseitige Agri-Photovoltaik für Rinderhalter

The dual use of land for the purpose of keeping cattle and other animals in an animal welfare-friendly manner as well as the protection of biodiversity and fallow land against adverse weather conditions and dehydration and the protection of special crops such as fruit and wine against excessive sunlight, hail, frost, etc. are currently important topics for the expansion of renewable energies on agricultural land.

Among the interested visitors to our stand, alongside many landowners, were the Federal Minister of Agriculture Cem Özdemir, the President of the Chamber of Agriculture Ute Volquardsen and the President of the Landvolkes Niedersachsen Dr Holger Hennies. Among other things, they learnt about the holistic solutions with our self-developed substructures, rainwater distribution and bifacial glass-glass modules.

"Many farmers at Agritechnica are considering purchasing our Agri-PV systems with light and water management under the system as a farm-related system as an investment or for their own energy supply. The main applications are animal runs for cattle or poultry," explains Edith Brasche, Managing Director of Project Development. "In this way, animal welfare can be ideally combined with the dual use of the land and protection against climate change as well as CO2 reduction. SUNfarming has its roots in agriculture, which is highly valued by our customers when it comes to agricultural utilisation concepts and profitability considerations," says Edith Brasche.

Under the moderation of Simon Schoon, Project Manager of the Grassland Centre Lower Saxony/Bremen e.V., SUNfarming Managing Director Edith Brasche presented the SUNfarming Agri and Moor PV concepts and solutions for the sustainable agricultural use of grassland and moorland. Helmut Wahl, energy technology consultant at the Lower Saxony Chamber of Agriculture, provided information on the legal and tax framework for agri-PV compared to traditional ground-mounted PV systems. Questions relating to the realisation and approval of corresponding agri-PV and moorland PV solutions were discussed during the open discussion round. During the subsequent visit to Hof Hanken in Elsfleth, farmer Dirk Hanken reported on how well the SUNfarming moorland PV pilot system had been received by his cattle on the moorland grazing area. It is particularly noticeable that the sward under the modules is completely covered with grass.

Lena Weber and Dr Dina Hamidi from the University of Göttingen presented initial scientific findings from animal husbandry under agri-PV on peatland. In the concluding survey, many of the interested visitors stated that they would like to develop specific agri-PV or peatland PV projects on their land and enquired about lease payments and participation models for specific projects from SUNfarming Managing Director Edith Brasche and Project Manager Lower Saxony Thomas Reimers.

All interested parties are also cordially invited to SUNfarming's research and development centre in Rathenow near Berlin, Am Heidefeld 13, where the company will be presenting all types of agri- and peatland PV with crop cultivation and animal husbandry in detail. For appointment enquiries, please contact e.brasche(at)sunfarming.de.

The politicians were impressed by the fact that SUNfarming Agri-Solar systems, with a maximum height of just 3.6 metres, can be used for agricultural purposes with small tractors, which can be replaced by AI Agri Robotic in the future and blend in well with the landscape. They also praised the patented SUNfarming rainwater distribution system for extensive irrigation under the modules.

In addition to the tour of the plant, the following topics were addressed at the meeting:

- Solar open spaces are currently still 100% the responsibility of the Minister of Energy/Environment. Farmers and SUNfarming are calling for the Ministry of Agriculture to be given a say in authorisations for agri-solar systems.
- Another demand is that agri-solar must be eligible for authorisation in landscape conservation areas, as is already the case in other federal states, due to the agricultural production that is possible here.
- In view of the fact that set-asides (CAP 4-10% fallow land) can also be combined with agri-solar in the future, this will also lead to landscape conservation areas and sites with better soils being opened up for agri-PV in Saxony-Anhalt.
- In the opinion of SUNfarming, it is incomprehensible why land utilisation plans are still necessary for agricultural agri-solar systems. As agri-solar is still an agricultural use, it should not be treated as a purely open-space system, explains Peter Schrum, SUNfarming founder.

Village power concepts and school gardens:

To further increase acceptance significantly, SUNfarming already has regional village electricity concepts where the community receives cheaper electricity. The village electricity concept was also very well received. Just like the SUNfarming school garden, which is made available to the community in municipalities with agri-solar areas of 50 ha or more for joint use to grow vegetables, fruit or for poultry farming, for schools and kindergartens to teach healthy eating.

The ministry of education and the King and Queen of the royal family of the Netherlands engaged our team and other stakeholders, in a workshop which discussed the just energy transition to green energy and it challenges in South Africa.

Nicolaas Faure van Schalkwyk, Manager of the Solar Training Centre, highlighted the importance of how practical up to date industry experience, needs to form part of the training curriculum and experience. "Education institutions are too slow and not dynamic enough to adapt their qualifications to the fast-changing environment in the renewable energy sector. Training providers in collaboration with international industry experience from SUNFarming and technology service providers like Brainstud, can reach more people and assist with making people more employable with micro courses, skills programmes and part qualifications. South Africa has elevated levels of unemployment, but there is also a need for experienced solar PV installers. Something which we in partnership with Johan Schaap from
Brainstud try to achieve"

Video-Link