Farmers with their fingers on the pulse help to steer the future of agricultural science
10 October 2024
The impact on farming of Artificial Intelligence, methane, carbon sequestration, regenerative systems, financing, and antimicrobial resistance, are some of the issues that farmers and growers would like researchers to investigate, according to a new report launched today.
The report - which draws on conversations with almost 100 farmers and growers during a series of workshops - shows that, while some research priorities such as soil health and disease control have stayed consistent since the last major review in 2013, a whole wave of new themes have now risen to the fore.
Professor Tom MacMillan, Elizabeth Creak Chair at the Royal Agricultural University, and a director of the Centre for Effective Innovation in Agriculture (CEIA) which led the work, said: “These research and innovation needs were gathered from a great diversity of farming businesses across the UK.
“They paint a picture of an industry with its finger on the pulse, very engaged with latest ideas and technologies, from AI to agroforestry, yet also profoundly practical.”
Launched by the NFU, Innovate UK, and CEIA, the Centre for Effective Innovation in Agriculture, the report reveals the challenges that farmers and growers want researchers to prioritise solving.
Participants at the workshops, which were organised over the last year by six farming and research organisations, shared 797 challenges and needs. This is the first time farmers and growers have been invited to help set the research agenda at this scale since the NFU and other partners published Feeding the Future report in 2013.
Professor MacMillan added: “Some of the research priorities that have stayed consistent since 2013 reflect perennial issues that will likely remain ongoing, even as the details and terms used evolve.
“However, other persistent challenges, such as increasing homegrown feed and ensuring digital tools are interoperable, might be seen as solvable problems where more progress is still needed.”
While the focus of the project was on what research and innovation is needed, farmers were also concerned with how this is done, and particularly, how useful it ends up being in practice. The findings also suggested that farmers and growers have an appetite to be more involved in the development, design and delivery of research and innovation.
“Many of those who contributed were up for research to support bold, transformative innovation, and underlined how involving farmers could help make sure ideas worked on the ground,” explained Professor MacMillan.
“Ambitious and practical are sometimes seen as opposites, but I think the message for the research community is that we can, and should, aim for science that is both.”
The report also found that farmer and grower research priorities aligned well with the strategic priorities of funders, particularly around sustainable agricultural systems.
Dr Andy Cureton, Director AgriFood Systems at Innovate UK said: “We are pleased to support this important report, which highlights the key challenges and opportunities identified by farmers and growers across the UK.
“Engaging directly with nearly 100 participants ensures the report reflects the real-world needs and priorities of those at the heart of the agrifood sector.
“This report will help to inform how we can continue to support business innovation that enables growth in the sector while ensuring environmental responsibility and we are grateful to all the farmers and growers who contributed to it."
Four of the workshops were organised by the NFU and NFU Cymru. NFU Vice President Rachel Hallos said: “For agriculture and horticulture to contribute to the Government’s mission of economic growth, the academic community has an important role to help farmers and growers overcome many of the challenges they face.
“Leveraging more investment from private sector and achieving maximum impact from research spending are both key to achieving this, and while it’s no easy task, both funders and providers of research and innovation are rising to the challenge.
“This report has the potential to help inform future science policy and funding strategies. Importantly, it also leads by example with a real focus on collaboration with end users. Next there needs to be a plan to provide all farmers and growers with easy access to the best evidence, which is crucial to helping them improve decision-making on farms.”