2nd November 2021

The latest research underpinning our Farming for Change action research programme has now been published: Farming for Change: charting a course that works for all

The original Farming for Change report, Farming for Change: mapping a route to 2030, was published on 7th January 2021 and can be downloaded below.

It introduces the technical modelling from IDDRI-AScA on an agroecological UK food and farming sector. This initial report sets out that it is feasible and plausible to feed the nation with a shift to agroecology, pulling out five critical questions to give an insight into how the model can help test assumptions, inform policies and change practices: the diet question, the carbon question, the livestock question, the productivity question and the nature question.

7th January 2021

Farming for Change: mapping a route to 2030 introduces research from research institute, IDDRI, showing agroecology can produce enough healthy food for a future UK population and explores how this new technical modelling challenges and develops our thinking about a new food and farming system.

This new research that addresses the big questions: How do we feed a growing population, healthily? Respond to a changing climate? Create a resilient, secure and fair farming system? Tackle the nature and health crises?

Farming for Change: mapping a route to 2030 explores these questions in detail and reveals the research that shows that, with the right enabling conditions, we can grow enough healthy food for a future population while

• eliminating synthetic fertilisers and pesticides
• nearly doubling amount of land available for green and ecological infrastructure (ponds, hedges, meadows etc.)
• releasing 7.5% of current agricultural area for more flexible use
• reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from agriculture by at least 38% by 2050 (with potential to offset 60%+ of remaining emissions through an afforestation scenario)
• all without compromising food security or offshoring food production and the associated environmental impacts.

This initial paper explores how the model challenges and develops our thinking about agroecology in this country and focuses on five critical areas: diet, carbon, livestock, productivity and nature. By focusing on these areas, the report starts to answer some key questions of our time: is it possible to provide enough nutritious food for people through agroecological farming alone? What impact would this have on land use, nature, biodiversity, livestock, farming enterprises, food security? What about health and wellbeing and meeting net zero carbon targets? The report suggests changes that can be made now (with ‘no regrets’) and explores where further analysis and discussion is needed in order to balance different interests and hear a wider range of voices.

The report can be downloaded above.