A recent report published by the NFU, Innovate UK and the Centre for Effective Innovation in Agriculture has revealed the challenges that farmers and growers want researchers to prioritise solving.
The report – which draws on conversations with almost 100 farmers and growers during a series of workshops – shows that, while some priorities such as soil health and disease control have stayed consistent since the last major review in 2013, a whole wave of new themes has now risen to the fore. These include artificial intelligence, methane, carbon sequestration, regenerative systems, financing and antimicrobial resistance.
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 over ten years ago.
The report also found that farmer and grower research priorities aligned well with the strategic priorities of funders, particularly around sustainable agricultural systems.
For further information, visit https://www.ceiagri.org/post/farmers-help-steer-the-future-of-agricultural-science