The summer of 2025 brought not only new experiences but also beautiful moments captured through the lenses of our students and staff.
In June, the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences (FTZ), Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, launched the summer photo challenge “On the Road to Knowledge”, aiming to showcase the diverse range of activities carried out under the FTZ banner.
A total of 24 photographs were submitted from around the world – from Lithuania, Uganda and Ecuador to Croatia and the Central African Republic.
We are pleased to present 12 of the most captivating photographs, which will be featured in the FTZ calendar for 2026.
Given the diversity and quality of all the contributions, the faculty decided to recognize all participants – their photos beautifully illustrate where FTZ operates and how broad the scope of our scientific and educational work truly is.
Selected Entries
Lithuania – Radek Žďánský and Natálie Červená
Both students took part in the Erasmus+ Blended Intensive Programme focused on the eutrophication of the Curonian Lagoon. Their photographs capture field research conducted from a boat, a seal rehabilitation center, and a cormorant colony – a striking example of environmental challenges impacting local ecosystems.
Croatia – Ondřej Cingálek
His photos document the sampling of the black fig fly, a pest that has recently appeared in Central Europe. The topic forms part of his master’s thesis exploring the spread of this invasive species and its implications for agriculture.
Ecuador – Melanie De La Torre
A curious look into animal behavior research. Her photographs from the project Exploring Animal Personality show white-tailed deer observations at La Casa del Venado research station in Ecuador, where she conducted the fieldwork for her MSc thesis.
Uganda – Jeremy Brendan Gratton
This photo series captures fieldwork on the generational loss of traditional food knowledge among the Batwa community. Jeremy documented interviews with elders, field walks to reach respondents, and participation in a community farming project run by the Batwa Indigenous Development Organisation (BIDO).
Central African Republic – Jan Staš
The photographs illustrate the analysis of the Carmel Farm in Bangui, carried out by FTZ in cooperation with the NGO SIRIRI. The project aims to transform an old oil palm plantation into a sustainable agroforestry system that supports food self-sufficiency and education within the local community.
Germany – Bára Motýlová (Tropentag Conference, Bonn)
Her photographs capture FTZ students presenting their research results. Participation in Tropentag 2025 provided an opportunity to present FTZ research to an international academic audience.
Milovice – Robin Kilbu
The photographs feature Exmoor ponies living in a semi-feral herd in Milovice. As part of his bachelor thesis, the author focuses on the health and hoof angles of the animals, which he documents monthly during field visits. The images offer a glimpse into the calm, unhurried world of these resilient equines while highlighting the importance of thoughtful pasture management for landscape conservation.
FTZ Calendar 2026
The twelve selected photographs will be exhibited in the FTZ building during November 2025.
They will also appear in the FTZ 2026 wall calendar, highlighting the travel and research stories of our students and staff.
We would like to thank everyone who participated – your photos show that science and study at FTZ go far beyond laboratories and across continents.
New Round of the FTZ Photo Challenge 2025/2026
Building on the success of this year’s challenge, FTZ is launching a new round of m“On the Road to Knowledge”, running from November 2025 to April 2026.
All FTZ students and staff are invited to take part – whether you are heading on an internship, research stay, conference, or a study programme, share your experiences and perspectives through photography.
Send 1–3 original high-resolution photographs from your trip along with a short caption (location, activity, context) to grosaftova@ftz.czu.cz with the subject line “FTZ Photo Challenge – Your Name”.
The most inspiring photos will once again be featured on the FTZ website and social media channels.
We look forward to seeing your journeys and stories!
