Canton of Fribourg highlights progress of its agri-food innovation ecosystem

The Canton of Fribourg presented the results and future outlook of its agri-food strategy Fribourg Agri&Food at the School of Engineering and Architecture of Fribourg (HEIA-FR). State Councillors Olivier Curty, Didier Castella and Sylvie Bonvin-Sansonnens highlighted a unique ecosystem in Switzerland, where business, education and research work hand in hand to strengthen innovation, sustainability and the economic impact of the agri-food sector.

Fribourg Agri&Food lies at the heart of the cantonal agri-food strategy and works in close complementarity with key pillars of the Fribourg ecosystem. Alongside Agroscope, the national centre of excellence for agricultural research, AgriCo, an innovation and establishment campus for agri-food companies, and the Food Research and Innovation Center (FRIC) of the University of Fribourg, an interdisciplinary centre dedicated to food sciences, Fribourg Agri&Food helps connect research, education and innovation.

This dynamic is driven by the collaboration of three cantonal directorates — Economy, Employment and Vocational Training (DEEF), Institutions, Agriculture and Forests (DIAF), and Education and Cultural Affairs (DFAC) — which combine their strengths to stimulate innovation, reinforce sustainability and energise a key sector of the Fribourg economy.

State Councillor Didier Castella, Director of Institutions, Agriculture and Forests, emphasised: “Agri-food is a pillar of our economy, and thanks to Fribourg Agri&Food, we are strengthening the canton’s competitiveness and attractiveness while positioning Fribourg as a leader in Swiss agri-food.”

Two instruments to support innovation

Fribourg Agri&Food deploys two complementary levers to support agri-food stakeholders:

• Funding through Innovation Vouchers (up to CHF 15,000 to test or prototype an idea) and Systemic Project Calls (up to CHF 150,000 to support high-impact collaborative projects).
• Services, offering a comprehensive set of tools designed to create a living laboratory, supporting farmers, entrepreneurs and project leaders from idea through to market launch.

Innovative projects transforming Fribourg’s agri-food sector

Three recent projects supported by Fribourg Agri&Food illustrate how innovation is concretely transforming the canton’s agri-food sector. Each highlights one of the programme’s key thematic areas:

• Wheydrogen (Biomass Valorisation): transforming whey, a by-product of the dairy industry, into green hydrogen and sustainable fertilisers.
• Rumex Fork (Agriculture & Industry 4.0): eliminating dock weeds without herbicides through artificial intelligence and electrification. The machine was presented on site during the press conference.
• ALI IMPACT (Consumers & Innovation): identifying and testing new psychological and marketing levers to encourage healthier and more sustainable food choices in collective catering.

State Councillor Olivier Curty, Director of Economy, Employment and Vocational Training, stated: “Agri-food innovation transforms challenges into opportunities: it opens up new prospects for our companies and strengthens the vitality of the Fribourg economy.”

State Councillor Sylvie Bonvin-Sansonnens, Director of Education and Cultural Affairs, noted that: “The strength of these projects lies in bringing together researchers and agri-food economic actors from Fribourg, who combine their expertise to create concrete solutions.”

Following the 2025 systemic project call, three new systemic projects have recently been selected. Full details are available here: www.fribourg-agrifood.ch/projets-soutenus  

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