From August 26 to 28, 2024, the trainees took part in an exciting excursion to the Stuttgart region, which offered them unforgettable insights into various agricultural facets of the region. The three-day trip combined practical experiences with cultural highlights and enabled the trainees to share their experiences after three months apart since arriving in Germany.

The excursion started on Monday with a meeting at Stuttgart Central Station. After everyone arrived at the meeting point by train, the group made their way to the University of Hohenheim. There, the trainees learned how Meiereihof looks after its high-performance dairy herd and which research questions are answered here with innovative barn technology and rumen fistulas. The participants were particularly impressed by the way in which modern agricultural technologies were combined with traditional practices. After the tour, the trainees explored the Hohenheim botanical garden before returning to the youth hostel. The evening ended with dinner together and a consultation time with the program supervisors, followed by some free time.

On Tuesday morning, different program items were on the agenda for the separated groups. While one group visited the Alfred Kärcher SE & Co. KG plant in Winnenden, the other group explored the Württemberg State Museum. The next morning, the groups exchanged activities so that each trainee could enjoy both experiences. The guided tour at Kärcher left a lasting impression. The participants had the opportunity to experience the development of innovative cleaning machines up close, to try out the machines first-hand and to learn about the company's sustainable approach. And the diverse exhibitions in the museum, which ranged from regional history to medieval artifacts, were particularly enriching for the trainees.

On Tuesday afternoon, the participants gathered at the University of Hohenheim to learn more about current research projects in the field of agricultural technology in the tropics from scientific staff. A solar cooling system for agricultural products, ovens for researching the best moisture content of grain for storage and the development of drying and irrigation systems were presented. A visit to the German Agricultural Museum rounded off the afternoon. The development of agricultural machinery, from simple early equipment to modern machines, particularly impressed the trainees and inspired them to look for new and simple technical solutions in their agricultural production.  The participants spent the evening in a workshop where they worked intensively together on their report books. After the final program items on Wednesday, it was time to return to the trainees' host farms.

The excursion offered the trainees an opportunity to get to know the Stuttgart region from different perspectives and gain valuable experience.