Legal framework for the conservation and sustainable use of microorganisms and invertebrates

Basically, for the conservation and sustainable use of microorganisms and invertebrates, there is no dedicated policy and thus no self-contained area of law.

Agricultural Biodiversity Strategy

In 2007 the Federal Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection (BMELV) has released the Agricultural Biodiversity Strategy Conservation of Agrobiodiversity, Development and Sustainable Use of its Potentials in Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. The strategy describes sectoral and cross sectoral the current situation and the necessary actions for the conservation and sustainable use of agrobiodiversity.

Fermented products from the dairy
© BLE/ picture Thomas Stephan

Objective is the long-term conservation of the diversity of microorganisms and invertebrates that can be used in agriculture and the food industry or which in their capacity as associated biodiversity provide useful ecological services, making them usable for product and process innovation, and promoting sustainable management practices.


This calls for:

  • A documentation and information system for microorganisms and invertebrates valuable to agriculture and the food industry.
  • Conservation of a high habitat diversity along with the incumbent diverse microorganisms and invertebrates, and protection of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems from pressures such as pollution and soil disturbance.
  • Development and implementation of a national program of measures for the conservation and sustainable use of microorganisms and invertebrates. This program is currently developed under the lead of the IBV of the BLE.