The role of Phosphorus in the Resilience and Sustainability of the UK food system
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Leeds
Department Name: School of Earth and Environment
Abstract
Abstracts are not currently available in GtR for all funded research. This is normally because the abstract was not required at the time of proposal submission, but may be because it included sensitive information such as personal details.
Technical Summary
Sustainable management of phosphorus (P) is vital for the resilience and security of the UK food system, and the delivery of ecosystem services (ES) such as clean water and biodiversity. Fertilisers and feeds are derived from phosphate rock, a critical, costly and finite resource, whose scarcity or fluctuating cost (P shocks) could threaten the UKs food security. Phosphorus is also an endemic water pollutant due to inefficiencies in the food chain. Improved stewardship of P is therefore urgently needed both to increase the resilience of the UK food system to P shocks and enable the sustainable intensification of UK agriculture. This project aims to enhance the resilience and sustainability of the UK food system by developing adaptive strategies that will reduce the vulnerability of UK farming to future P shocks and optimise the provision of ES. This will require an interdisciplinary approach, as vulnerability is defined by the human, physical, social, natural, and financial capitals that determine the capacity of stakeholders to make adaptations to current P use. This 3-year project will develop methods to characterize the effects of biophysical, social and institutional heterogeneity in catchments on the response of different ES to P inputs and the vulnerability to P shocks. This will enable the identification of farm and catchment scale adaptation strategies for sustainable P management practices to overcome P vulnerability and enhance ES. The project will also deliver the first national P vulnerability assessment for the UK food system and identify priorities for a National Adaptation Strategy. The project will result in novel outputs that integrate catchment biophysical and socio-economic variability into a suite of co-developed, context-specific, and implementable P measures and adaptive strategies that will increase the sustainability and resilience of the UK food system.
Planned Impact
The sustainable management of phosphorus at farm catchment and national scale is highly relevant to multiple stakeholders including policymakers and regulators, the agri-food industry, the water industry and the general public. The project has a primary focus on stakeholder engagement through the formation of a Multi-Actor Platform (MAP) covering local, national and global networks and through this stakeholder interaction, the project will therefore have considerable potential research impact:
Policymakers (e.g. Defra) - the vulnerability of the UK food system to future phosphorus scarcity has not previously been assessed. The project will provide evidence to underpin where policy interventions might be necessary to (a) improve the efficiency and sustainability of phosphorus use at multiple scales, (b)to develop a circular phosphorus economy in the UK and (c) sustain the future competitiveness and resilience of UK agriculture and the UK food system.
Water Regulators (e.g. EA) - phosphorus is the primary cause of waterbodies failing to achieve good ecological status in many areas of the UK and regulatory standards to control costly eutrophication are based on phosphorus. The project will provide key indicators of how phosphorus (5R) stewardship can be implemented in catchments for the benefit of water quality and where eutrophication control standards are most likely to be met as agriculture intensifies.
Agri-ffod Industry (e.g. AHDB) - phosphorus scarcity could have a major impact on agricultural productivity and the project will identify the thresholds at which productivity might be affected by P shocks, and what secondary sources of phosphorus may be cost-effectively re-utilised to reduce UK dependence on expensive P fertiliser and feed imports. Phosphorus vulnerability assessments will also highlight where agricultural industries need to innovate for improved efficiency and sustainability of phosphorus use. Understanding catchment heterogeneity to P inputs will help farmers to manage phosphorus more sustainably to meet increasingly stringent regulatory standards for water quality protection.
Water Industry (e.g. Water Companies)- Water companies are at the forefront of phosphorus recovery technologies for wastewater and actively involved in catchment management to improve water quality. The project will provide the evidence to underpin where technology innovation is most urgently needed.
General Public (e.g. Rivers Trusts) - society is generally unaware of the dependency of the UK food system on phosphorus, the environmental impact of phosphorus use in the UK food system or the importance of dietary choice on the future resilience and sustainability of the UK food system. The project will provide key data to address this gap.
Policymakers (e.g. Defra) - the vulnerability of the UK food system to future phosphorus scarcity has not previously been assessed. The project will provide evidence to underpin where policy interventions might be necessary to (a) improve the efficiency and sustainability of phosphorus use at multiple scales, (b)to develop a circular phosphorus economy in the UK and (c) sustain the future competitiveness and resilience of UK agriculture and the UK food system.
Water Regulators (e.g. EA) - phosphorus is the primary cause of waterbodies failing to achieve good ecological status in many areas of the UK and regulatory standards to control costly eutrophication are based on phosphorus. The project will provide key indicators of how phosphorus (5R) stewardship can be implemented in catchments for the benefit of water quality and where eutrophication control standards are most likely to be met as agriculture intensifies.
Agri-ffod Industry (e.g. AHDB) - phosphorus scarcity could have a major impact on agricultural productivity and the project will identify the thresholds at which productivity might be affected by P shocks, and what secondary sources of phosphorus may be cost-effectively re-utilised to reduce UK dependence on expensive P fertiliser and feed imports. Phosphorus vulnerability assessments will also highlight where agricultural industries need to innovate for improved efficiency and sustainability of phosphorus use. Understanding catchment heterogeneity to P inputs will help farmers to manage phosphorus more sustainably to meet increasingly stringent regulatory standards for water quality protection.
Water Industry (e.g. Water Companies)- Water companies are at the forefront of phosphorus recovery technologies for wastewater and actively involved in catchment management to improve water quality. The project will provide the evidence to underpin where technology innovation is most urgently needed.
General Public (e.g. Rivers Trusts) - society is generally unaware of the dependency of the UK food system on phosphorus, the environmental impact of phosphorus use in the UK food system or the importance of dietary choice on the future resilience and sustainability of the UK food system. The project will provide key data to address this gap.
Organisations
- University of Leeds (Lead Research Organisation)
- Severn Trent Water (Collaboration)
- Northern Ireland Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) (Collaboration)
- National Farmers Union (Collaboration)
- Powys Council (Collaboration)
- Environment Agency (Collaboration)
- Earthwatch Institute (Collaboration)
- Herefordshire Council (Collaboration)
- Wye and Usk Foundation (Collaboration)
- Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT) (Collaboration)
Publications
Zurek M
(2022)
Food System Resilience: Concepts, Issues, and Challenges
in Annual Review of Environment and Resources
Withers PJA
(2020)
Towards resolving the phosphorus chaos created by food systems.
in Ambio
Reitzel K
(2019)
New Training to Meet the Global Phosphorus Challenge.
in Environmental science & technology
Oluseyi Olanguju, K
(2021)
Dynamic relationships among phosphate rock, fertilisers and agricultural commodity markets: Evidence from a vector error correction model and Directed Acyclic Graphs
in Resource Policy
Okumah, M.
(2021)
The role of experiential learning in the adoption of best land management practices
in Land Use Policy
Martin-Ortega, J.
(2022)
Are stakeholders ready to transform phosphorus use in food systems? A transdisciplinary study in a livestock intensive system
in Environmental Science and Policy
Lyon, C.
(2022)
Exploring adaptive capacity to phosphorus challenges through two United Kingdom river catchments
in Environmental Science and Policy
| Title | Improving farm productivity and environmental outcomes in Northern Ireland through effective stakeholder enagement |
| Description | This video presents the stakeholder engagement process carried out by the Rephokus Project, with the aim of improving farm productivity and environmental outcomes through better management of phosphorus in the Northern Ireland food system. |
| Type Of Art | Film/Video/Animation |
| Year Produced | 2021 |
| Impact | This video contributed to disseminate the process and outcomes of the project contributing to delivering impact in relation to the decision by the Department of Agriculture, Environmental and Rural Affairs to roll out their soil sampling and training scheme to the national level in the form of the upcoming Nation-wide Soil Nutrient Health Scheme (SNHS). The SNHS will form a core part of DAERA's Green Growth Strategy |
| URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YiYDWf_6ZHk |
| Title | Phosphorus and the UK Food System |
| Description | This animation sets the scene in terms of the P challenge in the UK and outlines pathway for solutions in support of Rephokus National P Adaptation Strategy |
| Type Of Art | Film/Video/Animation |
| Year Produced | 2021 |
| Impact | This video was a key tool for the stakeholder engagement at the national level for the project, including the consultation that has led to the publication of the first UK National P Adaptation Strategy |
| URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDhC1zeB350 |
| Title | Video titled 'Phosphorus: A local journey in a global cycle' |
| Description | This is a four and a half minute long video hosted on the Lancaster Environment Centre YouTube site that describes a phosphorus cycle through a local food system. Phosphorus is followed on its journey from import, to fertiliser production, fertiliser use and crop growth on farm, food production and consumption and finally sewage treatment, all within a ten mile radius. |
| Type Of Art | Film/Video/Animation |
| Year Produced | 2019 |
| Impact | This video was produced for the Phosphorus 350 celebrations hosted by Lancaster University, the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology and N8 AgriFood and premiered at a public engagement evening as part of the event. It has received 415 views on YouTube |
| URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dgPHPgCSt3A |
| Title | Video titled 'The Phosphorus Story' |
| Description | This is a 9 minute long video hosted on the Lancaster Environment Centre YouTube site produced by the RePhoKUs team that explores the importance of phosphorus to our food systems but also how mismanagement of this resource can cause environmental damage and why we need to manager it more sustainably. |
| Type Of Art | Film/Video/Animation |
| Year Produced | 2020 |
| Impact | This video has received 911 views on YouTube. |
| URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Ia_KKj-UN0 |
| Description | 1) An analysis of P stores and flows across Europe in 2005 showed that high fertiliser P inputs relative to productive outputs was driving low system P efficiency (38 % overall). Lowering system P demand and better regional governance of P resources appear necessary for more efficient and sustainable food systems. 2) Transforming toward sustainable phosphorus management involves local to global stakeholders. Conventional readings of stakeholders may not reflect system complexity leaving it difficult to see stakeholder roles in transformations. In this research we have proposed a novel stakeholder analysis method based on five qualitative pillars: stakeholder agency, system roles, power and influence, alignment to the problem, and transformational potential. We argue that our approach suits case studies of individual stakeholders, stakeholder groups, and organisations with relationships to sustainability challenges. 3) By operationalising the concept of experiential learning through the 'preparation of nutrient management plans', this research is the first to closely examine the role of experiential learning (specifically, the nutrient management plan preparation process) in advancing farmers' awareness and behavioural changes (specifically, in the adoption of Best Management Practices or BMP). We found that farmers had a good understanding of the link between nutrient management and water quality as well as the agronomic and environmental benefits of engaging in BMPs. Further evidence shows that while advice may contribute to uptake of BMPs, there are greater benefits when farmers 'practise what they are taught' given that farmers who prepared their own nutrient management plans were more likely to have adopted the BMPs. This is because experiential learning deepens farmers' understanding, boosts their confidence and increase their chances of adopting BMP. 4) The sustainable exploitation of phosphorus (P) is essential for food and water security. However, our current poor management of this essential nutrient represents a pressing challenge, which cause global scale pollution of water resources while failing to achieve equitable access to fertilizers to support food production worldwide. This is, in part, due to poor uptake of advances, for example, in new technologies to reduce losses of P from agriculture, in our understanding of P thresholds for ecosystem functioning, and in sustainable urban development approaches focused on nutrient recycling systems. We identify in this research a pressing need to develop a new generation of nutrient sustainability professionals working collectively to implement diverse and interdiciplinary approaches within large scale urban and rural planning, for example, following the UNESCO Global Action Programme on Education for Sustainable Development, to meet the diverse needs of communities and countries. 5) A dialogue between scientists, policy makers and stakeholders across a wide range of sectors in Northern Ireland was established to explore the potential for transformation of regional agri-food systems for P-resilient futures. Generally, there seems to be the impression that, despite uncertainty and lack of evidence in certain areas, barriers to improvement in Northern Ireland are more related to governance and collaboration aspects rather than on technological aspects. 6) This research explored whether the evidence on determinants of pro-environmental behaviour supports the postulations of some predominantly applied theories of behaviour and/or behaviour change.Our findings suggest a strong evidence base for the Theories of Planned Behaviour and Reasoned Action, Attitude-Behaviour-Context, Model, and the Persuasion Theory, but a weak evidence base for the Value-Belief-Norm Theory and the Norm Activation Model. We also found that type of environmental policy area moderates the relationship between different variables. This has key policy implications since, while lessons can be learnt from other environmental policy areas, land management policies aimed at influencing behaviours will need to be tailored to the specific context rather than simply 'imported' from other fields. Such context-specific policies may encourage pro-environmental behaviours, and potentially contribute towards improving environmental management outcomes. 7) The results from the catchment interviews and workshops show that farmers are less concerned with phosphorus supply than government organisations. They also show that while water pollution is a major issue, some small scale efforts and training and payments for farmers are showing signs of success and have the potential to be very effective if catchment local authorities and catchment organisations are better integrated and supported through regulation and resources. 8) A Substance Flow Analysis of P flows and stocks was employed to construct visions for alternative futures and stimulate stakeholder discussions on system responses in Northern Ireland. These were analysed for their transformative potential using the triple-loop social learning framework. Stakeholder responses remained transitional or incremental, rather than transformative. The process did unveil some deeper levers that could be acted upon to move the system further along the spectrum of transformation (e.g. changes in food markets, new P markets, destocking, new types of land production and radical land use changes), providing clues of what an aspirational system could look like. This process can serve as diagnostics of current stakeholders thinking and potential, as well as for the identification of those deeper levers, opening up avenues to work upon for global scale transformation. 9) Developing a coherent and ambitious national transformation strategy requires co-production with the key stakeholders who are critical to the transition. At the national phosphorus workshop facilitated by Rephokus, UK food system stakeholders identified key policy, technology, market, knowledge and integration pathways needed to achieve a resilient phosphorus future for the UK's food system. This formed the basis of the UK's first National Phosphorus Transformation Strategy |
| Exploitation Route | The research has been used by the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs of Northern Ireland to inform their agri-policy frameworks as part of their land management and environmental efficiency policies (as presented in the impact narrative) The research has helped build up a proposal for a EU Training Network on addressing the Global Phosphorous Challenge together with a broad range of international academic and industry partners across Europe . The proposal was successful and will start in March 2021, it is expected that outputs and legacy from this award will be used for training and research across the consortium of this international network. Rephokus outputs were very welcomed at the UK P Transformation Workshop held in September 2021, with explicit mention by representatives from the Scottish Government, National Farmers Union and the Association of Fertiliser and the Agricultural Industries Confederation of its usefulness to their organisations. The sub-sequent UK P Transformation Strategy is expected to be used by a range of stakeholders involved in our consultation process. |
| Sectors | Agriculture, Food and Drink,Environment |
| URL | http://wp.lancs.ac.uk/rephokus/ |
| Description | • Our work on the assessment of the behavioural impacts of Norther Ireland's Government EAA Soil Sampling and Training Schemes played a critical role in the decision of the Department of Agriculture, Environment, and Rural Affairs (DAERA) to roll out the scheme to the national level in the form of the upcoming Nation-wide Soil Nutrient Health Scheme (SNHS). The SNHS forms a core part of DAERA's recently announced Green Growth Strategy, representing an overall investment of £37M over 5 years, open to all 25,000 farmers across the country. As part of the SNHS, DAERA has commissioned University of Leeds an extensive research programme of monitoring and evaluation of the behavioural aspects of its implementation. • The work regarding the UK P Transformation Strategy has raised interest from the Scottish Government, the National Farmers Union and the Agricultural Industries Confederation, amongst other key high national level stakeholders, who have provided informal acknowledgement of its value to their organisations. We were directly requested by the House of Commons' Environment Audit Committee to provide evidence into the enquiry on water quality in rivers. We were directly requested by the House of Commons' Environment Audit Committee to provide evidence from this work into the enquiry on water quality in rivers. The subsequent Water Quality In Rivers report published by the House of Commons, includes multiple citations to evidence and recommendations from our work: https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm5802/cmselect/cmenvaud/74/summary.html The catchment work has stimulated a a high-level of follow-on interest from participants, which resulted in the dissemination of the preliminary results across local and national level participant organisations (dissemination been made by participants, not the research team). Further impact include the interest and ongoing linkages with the research project and the collaborators, such as the co-production of a survey on farm soil and fertiliser practices with the National Farmers Union, meetings with catchment Nutrient Management Board members and national-level Environment Agency, and access to new datasets from different stakeholders. The have been invited to join Defra's UK Agriculture Partnership and contribute to it with our awareness-behavioural work produced in this project |
| First Year Of Impact | 2020 |
| Sector | Agriculture, Food and Drink,Environment |
| Impact Types | Policy & public services |
| Description | Influencing the decision of the Department of Agriculture, Environment, and Rural Affairs (DAERA) to roll out the soil sampling and training scheme to the national level in the form of the upcoming Nation-wide Soil Nutrient Health Scheme (SNHS) at the heart of the Green Growth Strategy |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
| Impact | The work on the assessment of the behavioural impacts of Norther Ireland's Government EAA Soil Sampling and Training Schemes played a critical role in the decision of the Department of Agriculture, Environment, and Rural Affairs (DAERA) to roll out the scheme to the national level in the form of the upcoming Nation-wide Soil Nutrient Health Scheme (SNHS). The SNHS will form a core part of DAERA's recently announced Green Growth Strategy, representing an overall investment of £37M over 5 years, open to all 25,000 farmers across the country. As part of the SNHS, DAERA has commissioned me for an extensive research programme of monitoring and evaluation of the behavioural aspects of its implementation. |
| Description | Invitation to join the newly formed Defra's UK Agriculture Partnership |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
| URL | https://youtu.be/hvbGMDfwm5ghttps://youtu.be/hvbGMDfwm5g |
| Description | Submission of evidence to House of Commons' Environment Audit Committee to provide evidence into the enquiry on water quality in rivers |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
| URL | https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/62/environmental-audit-committee/publications/ |
| Description | Capture, recycling and societal management of phosphorus in the environment (ReCAP) |
| Amount | € 4,500,000 (EUR) |
| Funding ID | 956454 |
| Organisation | Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| Country | Global |
| Start | 03/2021 |
| End | 02/2025 |
| Description | Soil Nutrient Health Scheme (SNHS) |
| Amount | £625,973 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Northern Ireland Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 04/2022 |
| End | 03/2026 |
| Description | Department Of Agriculture & Environment & Rural Affairs |
| Organisation | Northern Ireland Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | We have produced an report that evaluates two funded soil sampling and training schemes for farmers carried out in Northern Ireland: the EU Exceptional Adjustment Aid (EAA) Soil Sampling and Analysis Scheme (EU EAA SSAS), which ran during 2017-18 and included a nation-wide pilot and a targeted scheme in the Upper Bann catchment; and the DAERA-funded Colebrooke and Strule Soil Testing and Training Initiative (CSSTTI), which ran during 2018-19. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Access to the farmers for interview and data from the pre-existing survey to analyze |
| Impact | A report has been produced and a academic paper is undergoing The collaboration is from a environmental social science displinary perspective |
| Start Year | 2019 |
| Description | Earth Watch |
| Organisation | Earthwatch Institute |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | Following connections made during the N8 meeting, Rephokus has been named as potential partner, providing expertise and technical support, in two grant applications by this organistion. First was unsuccessful, and the second is in pending. Grants related to supporting trials of soil & water test kits for farmers in a citizen science project to aid in soil health. We provided support to the grant application. |
| Collaborator Contribution | the provided the grant application |
| Impact | not yet - application wasn't successful. Partnership might continue in the future but it is not currently active multi-disciplinary (soil and water science, social sciences) |
| Start Year | 2019 |
| Description | Rephokus catchment impact collaboration |
| Organisation | Environment Agency |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | Key contributions to date include: • Two catchment workshops presenting preliminary catchment results (including one scenario exercise) • Met with the Herefordshire Council • Presentation to Herefordshire Council Nutrient Management Board • Met with National Farmers Union • Met with Severn Trent Water |
| Collaborator Contribution | Participation and feedback on the above |
| Impact | Outputs from this collaboration to date include: • Sharing of preliminary research results to the collaborators and participants following workshops • Dissemination of a list of expert responses from the research team to technical questions from the workshop collaborators and participants • Dissemination of a survey on farm practices for phosphorus • Submission of a research paper to a peer reviewed journal • Disciplines involved: Crop and soil science, catchment biogeochemistry, environmental social science |
| Start Year | 2019 |
| Description | Rephokus catchment impact collaboration |
| Organisation | Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT) |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | Key contributions to date include: • Two catchment workshops presenting preliminary catchment results (including one scenario exercise) • Met with the Herefordshire Council • Presentation to Herefordshire Council Nutrient Management Board • Met with National Farmers Union • Met with Severn Trent Water |
| Collaborator Contribution | Participation and feedback on the above |
| Impact | Outputs from this collaboration to date include: • Sharing of preliminary research results to the collaborators and participants following workshops • Dissemination of a list of expert responses from the research team to technical questions from the workshop collaborators and participants • Dissemination of a survey on farm practices for phosphorus • Submission of a research paper to a peer reviewed journal • Disciplines involved: Crop and soil science, catchment biogeochemistry, environmental social science |
| Start Year | 2019 |
| Description | Rephokus catchment impact collaboration |
| Organisation | Herefordshire Council |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | Key contributions to date include: • Two catchment workshops presenting preliminary catchment results (including one scenario exercise) • Met with the Herefordshire Council • Presentation to Herefordshire Council Nutrient Management Board • Met with National Farmers Union • Met with Severn Trent Water |
| Collaborator Contribution | Participation and feedback on the above |
| Impact | Outputs from this collaboration to date include: • Sharing of preliminary research results to the collaborators and participants following workshops • Dissemination of a list of expert responses from the research team to technical questions from the workshop collaborators and participants • Dissemination of a survey on farm practices for phosphorus • Submission of a research paper to a peer reviewed journal • Disciplines involved: Crop and soil science, catchment biogeochemistry, environmental social science |
| Start Year | 2019 |
| Description | Rephokus catchment impact collaboration |
| Organisation | National Farmers Union |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | Key contributions to date include: • Two catchment workshops presenting preliminary catchment results (including one scenario exercise) • Met with the Herefordshire Council • Presentation to Herefordshire Council Nutrient Management Board • Met with National Farmers Union • Met with Severn Trent Water |
| Collaborator Contribution | Participation and feedback on the above |
| Impact | Outputs from this collaboration to date include: • Sharing of preliminary research results to the collaborators and participants following workshops • Dissemination of a list of expert responses from the research team to technical questions from the workshop collaborators and participants • Dissemination of a survey on farm practices for phosphorus • Submission of a research paper to a peer reviewed journal • Disciplines involved: Crop and soil science, catchment biogeochemistry, environmental social science |
| Start Year | 2019 |
| Description | Rephokus catchment impact collaboration |
| Organisation | Powys Council |
| Department | Planning and Building Control |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | Key contributions to date include: • Two catchment workshops presenting preliminary catchment results (including one scenario exercise) • Met with the Herefordshire Council • Presentation to Herefordshire Council Nutrient Management Board • Met with National Farmers Union • Met with Severn Trent Water |
| Collaborator Contribution | Participation and feedback on the above |
| Impact | Outputs from this collaboration to date include: • Sharing of preliminary research results to the collaborators and participants following workshops • Dissemination of a list of expert responses from the research team to technical questions from the workshop collaborators and participants • Dissemination of a survey on farm practices for phosphorus • Submission of a research paper to a peer reviewed journal • Disciplines involved: Crop and soil science, catchment biogeochemistry, environmental social science |
| Start Year | 2019 |
| Description | Rephokus catchment impact collaboration |
| Organisation | Severn Trent Water |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Key contributions to date include: • Two catchment workshops presenting preliminary catchment results (including one scenario exercise) • Met with the Herefordshire Council • Presentation to Herefordshire Council Nutrient Management Board • Met with National Farmers Union • Met with Severn Trent Water |
| Collaborator Contribution | Participation and feedback on the above |
| Impact | Outputs from this collaboration to date include: • Sharing of preliminary research results to the collaborators and participants following workshops • Dissemination of a list of expert responses from the research team to technical questions from the workshop collaborators and participants • Dissemination of a survey on farm practices for phosphorus • Submission of a research paper to a peer reviewed journal • Disciplines involved: Crop and soil science, catchment biogeochemistry, environmental social science |
| Start Year | 2019 |
| Description | Rephokus catchment impact collaboration |
| Organisation | Wye and Usk Foundation |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | Key contributions to date include: • Two catchment workshops presenting preliminary catchment results (including one scenario exercise) • Met with the Herefordshire Council • Presentation to Herefordshire Council Nutrient Management Board • Met with National Farmers Union • Met with Severn Trent Water |
| Collaborator Contribution | Participation and feedback on the above |
| Impact | Outputs from this collaboration to date include: • Sharing of preliminary research results to the collaborators and participants following workshops • Dissemination of a list of expert responses from the research team to technical questions from the workshop collaborators and participants • Dissemination of a survey on farm practices for phosphorus • Submission of a research paper to a peer reviewed journal • Disciplines involved: Crop and soil science, catchment biogeochemistry, environmental social science |
| Start Year | 2019 |
| Description | AquaEnviro (https://www.aquaenviro.co.uk) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Camargo-Valero M A: Participation as chair and guest speaker to the event "Modelling, managing and regulating emerging contaminants in surface waters, Aquaenviro Ltd, Manchester, UK, 30 April.-Valero M A (2019). Oral presentation title: Changes in farming practices: winter cover crops and the role of behaviour change. Lyon C and Rowell S: Participation with a stand to advertise RePhoKus project (total number of delegates attending 32, mainly from UK water companies, but also delegates from Environment Agency and UK Academic institutions) Engagement to develop a plan for creating the UK Nutrient Platform, conversations have taken placed (2 meetings so far, with another one in March 2020) to shape the collaboration with RePhoKUs |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Are stakeholders ready to transform phosphorus use in food systems? |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Phosphorus symposium "How well are we doing in creating circular P management". Intended purpose to engage with practitioners, industry, researchers and students. Julia Martin-Ortega, presentation. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | Feature at media article (The Guardian) on Northern Ireland animal waste |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Our report on Northern Ireland's Substance Flow Analysis (https://www.afbini.gov.uk/sites/afbini.gov.uk/files/publications/RePhoKUs%20report%20October%202020x.pdf) was featured at media article (The Guardian), in this quote: "A quarter of Northern Ireland's poultry litter is exported, but there are no figures on the full extent of animal waste exports" (with link to our report) |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/jun/23/poo-overload-northern-ireland-could-be-forced-to... |
| Description | Future Proofing Farming conference |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Natural England hosted 1-day conference attended by farming industry stakeholders. November 2019 |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Global Food Security Programme Stakeholder event |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Stakeholder event organized by the Global Food Securty programme to disseminate outputs from all projects from the programme and to provide networking opportunities. in this event we made key contacts to inform Rephokus national level vulnerability assessment (via in-depth interviews with some of the workshop participants) |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | International Media article |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Interview by a journalist for an in-depth media article in the environmental edition of a Spanish digital newspaper |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://www.climatica.lamarea.com/contaminantes-fosforo-nitrogeno/ |
| Description | Interview at BBC Radio Ulster |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | BBC Radio Ulster interviewed Prof. Julia Martin-Ortega. This served to communicate about the importance of the research topic and the project. it also served as an opportunity to disseminate the ongoing survey on land managers adaptive capacity to Phosphorus, which resulted on increased participation from respondents from Northern Ireland. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001479j |
| Description | Media article |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Publication of media article at The Conversation, which is a is a network of not-for-profit media outlets publishing news stories and research reports online, with accompanying expert opinion and analysis. In September 2019, The Conversation reported a monthly online audience of 10.7 million users, and a combined reach of 40 million people when including republication. At the time of reporting this activity (less of a month after publication), the published article had been read by 40,000 readers across the world. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://theconversation.com/phosphorus-supply-is-increasingly-disrupted-we-are-sleepwalking-into-a-g... |
| Description | Media featuring aWye catchment farmers meeting presenting project results |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | We presented our work at a Wye catchment farmers meeting, and this was featured by the Farmer's Weekly Magazine |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://www.fwi.co.uk/livestock/poultry/wye-catchment-farmers-vow-to-limit-phosphate-losses |
| Description | N8 Agri-food conference |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Large regional agri-food conference, which included reseachers, policymakers, industry representative, third sector organisations. The event involved considerable networking and engagement with a variety of different organisations. Requests were made and met for Rephokus papers and reports from conference participants.. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| URL | https://www.n8agrifoodconference.com/ |
| Description | Organisation and Hosting of the Workshop for the Development of a UK P Strategy |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | National level (online workshop) with key stakeholders in the UK phosphorus system, including food producers, regulators, environmental managers, nutrient producers, wastewater and waste service providers, policy-makers and other actors who influence or potentially could impact the future of phosphorus in the UK. With the aim of feeding into the UK's first comprehensive National Phosphorus Transformation Strategy, based on extensive stakeholder consultation across the UK food system . The Strategy seeks pathways to improved phosphorus management and is framed by a transformation model which articulates a suite of strategic pathways to transition from the current unsustainable situation, to the ideal future. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| Description | Phosphorus catchments Results and Feedback Workshop |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Shared the preliminary research results from the project research with the catchment collaborators through two catchment workshops attended by a total of 58 people. This stimulated significant follow-on engagement from attendees which provided new data and opportunities for knowledge exchange. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| Description | Presentation at Defra's UK Agriculture Partnership |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Key note presentation at the newly launched UK Agriculture Partnership organised by Defra and auspiced by the Secretary of State for Environment. The partnership brings together a range of stakeholders from every part of the UK to identify and work on shared issues facing our agriculture sector, through a series of quarterly meetings - each focussed on different topics.The forum is focussed particularly on sharing the world-leading research of experts, researchers, stakeholders and industry leaders - to share the latest thinking across the UK. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | Presentation at Seminar Series: Rephokus: Sustainable stewardship for national and catchment phosphorus dynamics in the UK |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Contribution to the Winter 2022 Seminar Series of the Environmental Biology, Department of Natural Resource Sciences. McGill University (Canada) |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | http://www.mcgill.ca/nrs/files/nrs/winter_2022_schedule.pdf |
| Description | Whose responsibility is phosphorus security? Towards a circular P economy |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Phosphorus symposium "How well are we doing in creating circular P management". Intended purpose to engage with practitioners, industry, researchers and students. Dana Cordell's keynote speaker |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |