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Institute
The present thesis focuses on the potential of the alternative fiber plant Silphie (Silphium perfoliatum) in East Westphalia-Lippe. To assess its potential, three expert interviews were conducted in the beginning with the key stakeholders of a Silphie supply chain. These
stakeholders included the fiber producer OutNature, the seed distributor Donau-Silphie, and the CO2 certification company Positerra. Through these interviews, the necessary conditions for establishing a Silphie cultivation region for paper production were
determined. Subsequently, the attitudes of local farmers towards cultivation and further use of the plant were surveyed. Additionally, the potential for CO2 sequestration of Silphie was assessed and compared with the opinions of the farmers.
The results from the interviews and the survey were used to identify patterns using explorative data analysis and descriptive statistics methods, enabling the prioritization of potential farmers in the future. The evaluation of the methods revealed an interest in
cultivation and fiber production under certain conditions. The most important prerequisites include profitability, secured take-off agreements, and the suitability of using the plant as fodder. Consequently, farmers with a larger farm size who cultivate silage
maize for biogas production are most willing to grow Silphie. By geographically mapping potential Silphie areas, two preferred catchment areas were identified where the chance for a cultivation region is favorable due to existing infrastructure and farmer interest.
Furthermore, a comparison of the required environmental conditions with those present in OWL was conducted and mostly deemed accurate.
Based on these findings and the development of further utilization possibilities for Silphie, this thesis serves as a motivation for additional studies aimed at increasing the potential of Silphie in OWL.