Bliesgau World Field
The Bliesgau World Field is an educational project in the heart of the Bliesgau UNESCO biosphere reserve in Saarland. Covering 2000 square meters, it symbolizes the average arable land available to every person in the world. The Weltacker is based on the Lancet Commission’s “Planetary Health Diet” nutrition plan, which aims to promote a sustainable and healthy diet within planetary boundaries by 2050.
The purely arable area in Bliesgau covers 1200 square meters, while the remaining 800 square meters are characterized by an old stock of fruit trees that date back to times when a farmer farmed the land. These trees are a living testimony to the agricultural history of the region.
The project was launched in 2022 on the Ballhorn family’s Sonnenbogen farm. Hannes Ballhorn, our “world field gardener”, initiated the project and planted the 2000 m² of arable land with the help of volunteers. This led to the formation of the World Field Working Group, which brought together interested people from the region, including an employee of the Biosphere Association, who took care of the signage for the crops. The opening ceremony took place in August 2023, and at the end of 2023 the non-profit association Bliesgau Weltacker e.V. was founded to further develop and promote the project.
The Bliesgau Weltacker is located in the golden village of Wolfersheim, a small traditional workers’ and farmers’ village that won an award for its development in the “Our village has a future” competition. Surrounded by the Bliesgau landscape, the theory of the Weltacker is easier to understand when you look at the surrounding agriculture, where relics of traditional organic farming can be found. The connection to nature and agriculture is particularly tangible around Wolfersheim.
Particularly noteworthy is the sustainable cultivation method of the Weltacker, which here in Bliesgau is based on the principles of permaculture. This philosophy promotes agriculture that respects natural cycles and uses regenerative practices to create healthy soils and stable ecosystems in the long term. Permaculture makes it possible to use agricultural land in a way that conserves resources and preserves biodiversity at the same time. This is how we want to be a friend and partner to nature.
As part of the biosphere reserve, the Bliesgau World Field is dedicated to education for sustainable development (ESD) and supports the global goals of the United Nations (SDGs). The field provides practical information on how global challenges such as climate change, food security and resource conservation can be tackled at a local level. School classes and visitors learn about the importance of resource-conserving cultivation methods and sustainable agriculture in workshops and guided tours. The Bliesgau World Field is part of an international network of world farmers and makes a valuable contribution to raising awareness of sustainable agriculture. It impressively demonstrates how we can all positively shape the future of our planet by making responsible consumption and production decisions.
