Landslide above Blatten
The mountain above Blatten had already been moving for weeks when all residents and animals were evacuated on 19 May 2025. Nine days later, around 9 million cubic metres of rock and ice tumbled down into the valley. The demolition destroyed almost the entire village, burying infrastructure, hotels and the characteristic barns - historic wooden buildings and part of the UNESCO-protected architectural culture of the Upper Valais. Farmers were also badly affected: Eight of them lost their stables and four also lost their homes. Many animals had to be housed in neighbouring communities. There was a great deal of solidarity among farmers, who were offered accommodation and food in large numbers.
Coordination in difficult times
Even before the disaster, the farmers of Blatten had founded the Lötschental Farming Consolidation Co-operative in order to consolidate the more than 5,000 small plots of land in the valley into rationally farmable parcels. Its president Daniel Ritler describes this today as a stroke of luck: "The existing organisation among us farmers made it much easier to coordinate help after the landslide." The cooperative represents the interests of farmers to the authorities and works together to ensure the future of agriculture in the valley. For Ritler, rebuilding his own farm before retirement is no longer a priority. His focus is on opening up prospects for young farmers in the valley. With his experience, he is committed to all steps - from setting up the necessary infrastructure to future marketing.
Valuable meadows behind the cone of rubble
There are still around 124 acres of intact meadows behind the debris cone. However, it was not possible to harvest the fodder this summer as it could not be transported along the narrow, heavily used emergency road. Nevertheless, the land had to be cultivated to ensure the quality of the fodder for future years and to reduce the risk of forest fires. "A fire spreading from a meadow to the protection forest would make reconstruction in Blatten even more difficult. That's why we decided to mulch our areas," explains Daniel Ritler. As many of the farmers' machines were buried in the landslide, external support was needed.
Aebi supports with machines
At the request of the Swiss Farmers' Association, Aebi provided Terratracs and motorised mowers with mulchers. Aebi's market partner Robert Aebi Landtechnik Susten provided on-site servicing. This enabled the farmers to maintain the meadows, minimise natural hazards and secure the basis for an agricultural future. The young farmer Christian Jaggi lost his dairy cow barn and half of his land. Nevertheless, he sees his future in the Lötschental: "Thanks to Aebi's support, we were able to look after our land and secure it for the future. I want to stay in the valley and rebuild my business with a new barn."
Preserving the cultural landscape - securing the future
The farmers of Blatten have taken the first step. Together, they have cultivated the remaining land, thereby securing the forage base and contributing to the preservation of the unique cultural landscape of the Lötschental. This has created prospects for the young farmers as well as for the village community and tourism, which is important for the valley.