A pre-project funded by the Fondation Sur-la-Croix showed that Swiss almonds are perceived as a worthwhile option for the future by both farmers and the customer market; however, Swiss producers find it difficult to choose an appropriate almond variety and a suitable cultivation system.
The preliminary study was also unable to answer relevant questions concerning environmental services and the integration of almond-growing into the Swiss agricultural landscape. The Fondation Sur-la-Croix is funding a three-year follow-up project to fill these information gaps with scientific studies and to pool existing knowledge.
A sustainable, locally-adapted production approach and a guide to cultivating almonds in Switzerland are being developed in consultation with stakeholders. The planned project activities focus on establishing almond variety testing at the Agroscope Stone Fruit Centre Breitenhof as well as setting up an experimental and farm network and a stakeholder platform. Students’ papers will investigate environmental services and integration into the landscape.
Final publication of the pre-project
Could almond trees represent a suitable expansion of fruit production, inter alia of standard fruit-tree production in Switzerland? What is the potential for cultivation and sales? Can humans and nature benefit equally here? Initial answers are being provided by Agroscope researchers in partnership with representatives from practice and administration, supported by the Fondation Sur-la-Croix.
