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AgriFood4NetZero: Plausible Pathways, Practical and Open Science for Net Zero Agrifood

Lead Research Organisation: University of the West of England
Department Name: Faculty of Health and Applied Sciences

Abstract

The agri-food system, producing 23% of UK emissions, must play a key role in the UK's transition to net zero by 2050, and through leadership in innovation can support change globally. Our Network+ will build on existing and new partnerships across research and stakeholder communities to develop a shared agenda, robust research plans, and scope out future research and innovation. The Network will design and deliver high-reward feasibility projects to help catalyse rapid system transformation to ensure the agri-food system is sustainable and supports the UK's net zero goal, while enhancing biodiversity, maintaining ecosystem services, fostering livelihoods and supporting healthy consumption, and minimising the offshoring of environmental impacts overseas through trade. The radical scale of the net zero challenge requires an equally bold and ambitious approach to research and innovation, not least because of the agri-food and land system's unique potential as a carbon sink. Our title, Plausible Pathways, Practical and Open Science, recognises the agri-food system as a contested area in which a range of pathways are plausible. Success requires that new relationships between natural and social science, stakeholders including industry, government and citizens, be forged in which distributed expertise is actively harnessed to support sectoral transformation.
We will use our breadth of expertise from basic research to application, policy and engagement to co-produce a trusted, well-evidenced, and practical set of routes, robust to changing future market, policy and social drivers, to evolve the agri-food system towards net zero and sustainability. Marshalling our many existing stakeholder links, we will review and evaluate current options and use Network funding to catalyse new partnerships through retreats, crucibles, workshops, online digital networking and scoping studies to develop system approaches to transformation, reframe the research agenda and undertake novel research projects. We will co-design productive and creative spaces that enable the research community to engage with a wide range of stakeholders and thought leaders through the following framework: 7 Co-Is who govern the Network but are not themselves eligible for funding; 9 Year-1 Champions (with new appointments after Year 1) dynamically forging new connections across research communities; 11 Advisory Board members tasked with challenging business-as-usual thinking; and regular liaison with other stakeholders.

Organisations

Publications

10 25 50
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Andrews E (2023) Putting food in the driver's seat: aligning food-systems policy to advance sustainability, health, and security in Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems

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Bellamy A (2023) Promoting dietary changes for achieving health and sustainability targets in Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems

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Benton T (2024) Regenerative Farming and Sustainable Diets - Human, Animal and Planetary Health

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Bridle S (2024) Measuring sustainable environment-food system interactions - POSTnote

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Buckton S (2023) The Regenerative Lens: A conceptual framework for regenerative social-ecological systems in One Earth

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DeClerck F (2023) Science and Innovations for Food Systems Transformation

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DeClerck F (2023) Biodiversity, agriculture and sustainable production: GBF Target 10 in PLOS Sustainability and Transformation

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Del Bianco M (2023) Auxin research: creating tools for a greener future. in Journal of experimental botany

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Falloon P (2024) Editorial: Climate science, solutions and services for net zero, climate-resilient food systems in Frontiers in Environmental Science

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Horril M (2024) The contribution of pulses to net zero in the UK in Environmental Research: Food Systems

 
Title Branding Materials - Agrifood Network + 
Description The AgriFood network + went through period of brand design, and implementation which consists of logos, formats, fonts, and colours which are carried through the Powerpoint presentations, the website, banners, leaflets, socials, ad hoc digital materials, and the newsletter. The branding has also been carried through to the Eventbrite as far as possible, given the limitation of their prefixed format. 
Type Of Art Artwork 
Year Produced 2023 
Impact The AgriFood network + went through period of brand design, and implementation to ensure clear signposting to all network members, stakeholders and potential network members. This was to ensure strong recognition of the network as an entity unto itself, and to reduce confusion with the branding of the Co-Leads and Co-Is. One of the aims of the branding was to develop clear sign posting for our network members and to build trust, through clear professional looking branding, with the branding being extended through the website, the newsletter and carried through into the new website design. The branding is to a degree carried through to Eventbrite however we are limited by Eventbrites own format. In spite of this effort has been made to ensure as much consistency as possible and that the branding on the event announcements and registrations through Eventbrite are clearly linked to the original AFN network + branding. The branding also facilitates team cohesiveness ensuring greater efficiencies as we work under one congruous umbrella with clear project team led goals underpinned by a strong brand identity. The same is true of the network leadership positions such as the Champions and the Early Careers board. There purpose of the branding is also to build an emotional connectedness with our network members and enable the continued building of a relationships and loyalty with individuals as the network grows in number. The website URL has been included as an example of the branding an its use. 
URL https://www.agrifood4netzero.net/
 
Title Branding Materials - Illustrations for report 'What could the UK AgriFood system look like in 2050' 
Description The AFN Network+ went through a period of brand design and implementation to create logos, formats, fonts, and colours which are used across presentations, the website, publications, banners, leaflets, social media, ad hoc digital materials, and the newsletter. 
Type Of Art Artwork 
Year Produced 2023 
Impact The AFN Network+ branding ensures clear signposting to all network members, stakeholders and the wider agri-food community. The aim was to build strong recognition of the network, demonstrate credibility and clarity of on our purpose, and increased engagement from our stakeholders. Increasing membership numbers, and the success of our webinars can be put down, at least in part, to the clarity of our branding. The same is true for the success of network emails, which have continued to have high open rates, again, at least in part due to improved brand recognition. Finally, the increased popularity of this year's Big Tent (approximately 200 registrations compared with last year's 70 registrations) is again evidence of the clarity of our branding and messaging. 
URL https://drive.google.com/file/d/1PFmdDo4TBnwXcAVWErfvBA42lZv_74et/view
 
Description We have already completed a report on Research and Policy priorities, arising from the development of the Plausible Future Scenarios. The findings and summary can be found in the publication section.
The scenarios were used to help stretch our thinking
about plausible futures for the agri-food system, and
the kinds of research priories that emerge. In what
follows, we set out the suggested priories for research
and policy that have emerged from our work under six
themes. The focus is on the emissions from UK agrifood
system, and not the global environmental
footprint of UK-based food consumers. The themes
are not easily separable and the proposals oen
straddle them. A seventh theme considers system-wide
and cross-cung issues.
Healthy and sustainable diets: How to develop a
resilient UK food system that contributes to net zero
while promong healthy diets. This theme focuses on
the need for dietary and food system change to
contribute to a net zero UK, while promong access to
healthy and affordable diets. It covers the social,
environmental and economic dimensions of animal and
crop producon, and of plant-based meat alternaves
in the agri-food system, as well as the role of fruit,
vegetables, and ultra-processed foods in diets.
Land producvity: What should we grow in the UK?
This theme focuses on the producve ulisaon of our
finite land resource. It covers quesons of how crop
and animal breeding and husbandry can help ensure
sufficient food is produced from less land, and how
space can be created for ambious targets for
establishing trees and biomass crops to sequester
carbon.
Food security and trade: Where should our food come
from? This theme focuses on the geographical scales at
which our agri-food system operates and the balance
between food produced and traded locally, naonally
and across naonal borders. It covers quesons of food
security, resilience and sustainability of markets and
supply chains at different spaal scales.
Land use change and land management: How should
we change land use and land management in the UK?
This theme focuses on the mechanisms and incenve
systems to drive required changes in land use and land
management in the UK. It covers quesons of
agricultural support policies, new markets for carbon
sequestraon (through trees, biomass and soils), land
use frameworks and reconciling demands of net zero,
biodiversity and other environmental services.
Circular food systems: How can we develop a more
circular UK food system, including the agricultural
economy and ecology, other components of the system,
and the infrastructure that underpins it? This theme
focuses on the queson of more sustainable
agricultural producon systems with a parcular
emphasis on the concepts of circularity and reducing
waste. It covers quesons of the need for smallerscale,
mixed farming systems and the relave merits of
systems such as agroecology, agroforestry and
regenerave agriculture, and the re-use of nutrients
from along the supply chain.
Behaviour change: Individual and instuonal
behaviour change in the UK agri-food system. This
theme focuses on the role of instuons and policies to
encourage behaviour change in the agri-food system. It
covers quesons of the polics, economics, psychology
and food nutrion science of effecng large-scale
behavioural change and the individual and instuonal
dynamics of changes in food producon pracces.
System-wide and cross-cung issues: How can we
capture the system-wide features of the agri-food
transion? This theme focuses on the need for
systems-thinking and analysis in research and policy
and a holisc approach to science and policy measures,
including the funconing of the R&D and innovaon
system and the need to consider the social and polical
quesons of fairness in system transformaon.
Within each secon, research and policy priories are
listed in order of the strength of endorsement of them
by those who responded to our consultaon exercise
Exploitation Route To inform UKRI and policy-makers. We are currently working with Defra to implement the use of our Agrifood calculator in their own processes on the land use framework consultation.
Sectors Agriculture

Food and Drink
URL https://www.agrifood4netzero.net/
 
Description The AFN Network+ is committed to fostering collaboration, driving innovation, and supporting research that advances the agri-food system toward a more sustainable future. A Diverse and Inclusive Network We continue to plan and deliver online activities specific to EDI to meet the project objectives. The 2024 Big Tent featured a panel on The importance of ensuring diverse voices around the decision-making table. Navaratnam Partheeban (Theeb), co-founder of the British Veterinary Ethnicity and Diversity Society (BVEDS), delivered a key note talk on the theme and chaired the panel, which included Dominic Watters, Mike Duxbury of Inclusive Farms, Caroline Mason, Catherine Chong, and Dominic Watters (Council estate speaker and writer). The panel had a powerful impact on the participants in the room, and was the seed for the ideas included within the BBSRC EDI grant (details above). The Big Tent programme was designed around inclusivity and involvement, to maximise opportunities for networking between participants. In October, we designed an in-person Early Careers Showcase event. The theme of the event was how to relate to people inside and outside of your field, which was chosen by the ECR board in line with the strategy around inclusivity. The event was co-designed by members of the ECR board and the LUNZ Hub EC board, with support from the Scottish National Lead for the LUNZ hub project and the AFN Network+ PI. A series of Showcase sessions were co-designed with practitioners, including representatives from The Real Farming Trust, the Carbon Technology Research Foundation, Feeding Bristol and Grow Wilder, with expertise ranging from urban community driven interest, to rural affairs and philanthropy and funding. There were 41 attendees, with a third from industry, government and the third sector. There was a strong interdisciplinary presence with multiple vocations and skillsets supported at this event. Formal feedback is pending, however, some attendees posted positive feedback on LinkedIn. Other events with an EDI theme include the Black History Month virtual event on Cultivating Fair Food Systems for Climate and Community Resilience. The event addressed diverse representation across the Agrifood landscape, and spoke to matters of inclusivity. We had two panellists, Carol Adams of Food Adventure social enterprise and Back to Our Roots: Growing and Sharing Without Borders; and Tenesia Pascal, owner of Earth to Earth Organics, Earth Farm Limited. Both speakers brought both lived experience and a wealth of knowledge around the theme. The breakout sessions focused on Seed sovereignty and food justice and Community-led farming and environmental sustainability. The aim of these themes was to foster discussion and provide an environment for potential collaboration in future. As 2024 winds down, the cultural commitment to Equality, Diversity and inclusion (EDI) remains present across the AFN. It has been noted that delays in the data protection impact assessment (DPIA) led to delays in the data collection which impacted early data collection. It is notable that there is an intentioned implementation of EDI activity and progressive strategy. We are designing a series of evaluation activities to measure impact and ensure we continue to build on early successes in EDI for the benefit of the AFN Network+. Activities such as focus groups and interviews with network members have been designed in part to support continuous improvement, and engagement on matters around EDI as well as reporting. The core objectives of our evaluation strategy are to capture a clear, organised set of outcomes and recommendations on EDI which will be written up as a journal article and a project report to share with UKRI and beyond as part of the legacy of the network. In commitment to this work, a researcher has been appointed to take on the operational tasks and we are working with the Equal Group, who provide specialist knowledge on EDI evaluation. As well as assuring the integrity of the evaluation process, we look to engage in knowledge exchange by providing training for EDI evaluation to our network membership. Sharing outputs from funded elements of the Network We have recently set up a robust review process to ensure the work of the funded elements of our Network (primarily Scoping Study Projects, Stakeholder FlexFund projects and Champions reports) is fully evaluated with a view to understanding how we might support each element to further impact and how best to share the outputs with the wider community. All funded elements are given space on the Website to show project briefs, summarised reports and additional outputs. Enhanced promotion may include tailored blog posts, deep dives into specific research areas and opportunities to share outputs at Network events/Network sponsored events. In addition we are looking at how best to synthesise outputs from each cohort. Alongside the work undertaken in this area by the Comms team and KE Expert we are also looking to engage a freelance writer/journalist who has expertise in food and farming systems in order to work through some of the enhanced promotion. Engaging with Policy, Practice & the Public Members of the AFN leadership team continue to have extensive interaction with policy-making bodies in the UK around questions of net zero and the agri-food system and to develop relationships with stakeholders. The bullets below are illustrative and not exhaustive: The Network took a stand at Groundswell 2024 which was supported by members of the Exec team together with several of our Year 2 Champions. Co-lead, Tim Benton, spoke about our scenarios work in his Big Top session: An Uncertain World: How Will it Drive Food System (R)evolution? We shared information about and encouraged applications to our Stakeholder FlexFund as well as hosting sessions including a 'pub quiz' and as follows: Grains of Diversity: Cultivating togetherness What are the biggest gaps and priorities for UK food security? What does the future of UK arable farming look like? Genetics - what are the opportunities to reduce emissions and improve productivity? Carbon Claw Print: How UK arable farming can support more sustainable & ethical chicken production (led by one of our Scoping Studies) What do you want to see from a Land Use Framework? How can we harness research to break out of business as usual and transform the food system? We are applying to host a tent at Groundswell 2025 with the idea that we will use the opportunity to curate a series of talks that also bring in other UKRI funded research programmes This year we are sponsors of the Wales Real Food and Farming conference. Co-Lead Angelina Sanderson Bellamy will be speaking on a panel presenting work and soliciting input on food policy asks ahead of the 2026 Welsh Election manifesto developments. We will have a stand which will offer us the opportunity to gather feedback from & grow our reputation with this audience as well as to encourage applications to the final round of the Stakeholder FlexFund. Jez Fredenburgh has been developing relationships and raising the profile of the Network+ at key industry events including ORFC/ OFC, Groundswell, and The Agroforestry Show, as well as on social media through LinkedIn and her 10,000-follower Twitter account. She has also been cultivating relationships and awareness locally with Norfolk's considerable farming sector, in an effort to attract more farmers to Network activities and link researchers up with a receptive pool of farming stakeholders. This has included; chairing an in-person debate on the future of the food system organised by the Royal Norfolk Agricultural Association (RNAA), chairing a panel of young farmers at the Norfolk Farming Conference, and having regular meetings with the RNAA chief executive. She is also due to chair another RNAA panel in November with Prof Tim Lang (City), Prof Andrew Fearne (UEA) and local food producers. She has also joined the board of the Agri-Food Industry Council for Norfolk and Suffolk and the RNAA's youth wing (YIELD). In the last six months Jez was also invited to, and attended a Green Alliance round table on catalysing government action on dietary change, a Defra and Leverhulme Centre workshop on Landscape Recovery, and the launch of the Sustainable Food Trust's Beacon Farms network. She has also worked with colleagues at UEA to arrange a showing of '6 Inches of Soil' in Norwich, for the public and local food system stakeholders, and is involved with colleagues at the John Innes Centre on wheat research and using virtual reality to develop our scenarios work. She regularly connects with practicioners, researchers and relevant organisations via online meetings too, and continues to network and connect up people as much as possible. Neil Ward continues to engage with Ministers and backbench Labour MPs with interests in land, food and farming. He met with the Joint Head of Net Zero Strategy in Defra (Sept 2024) and has been invited to participate in the Defra Net Zero Team's away day in January. He has served as an expert witness in two High Court cases involving agri-environment regulatory issues in 2024. Neil spoke at the EA Sustain Festival in Colchester on 13th January (Speaker in conversation with Charles Watson, Chair of River Action UK). Neil spoke at an agri-food conference organised by New Anglia LEP (21 Feb 2024). 12 January 2024 Meeting with John Innes KE manager on wheat (JF). 13 Jan 2024 EA Sustain Festival, Colchester (NW speaker in conversation with Charles Watson, River Action UK). 17-19 Jan LUNZ Hub launch meeting, Leicester. 6th February Norfolk Farming Conference (JF, chairing panel). Neil also briefed the scriptwriting team on BBC Radio 4's The Archers on net zero and UK farming issues. The Wales Net Zero Challenge Food Reference group have published their recommendations for Welsh Labour and Plaid Cymru. This work was supported by Angelina, who designed and facilitated the stakeholder workshops with the aim of building convergence among key food system stakeholders around actions to achieve net zero through agrifood. She continues to advise the Future Generations Commissioner on means for implementing a food systems approach to well-being of future generations; the Future Generations Commissioner has made food the centrepiece of this five-year strategic action plan. She attended an invite-only Food Security event hosted by the Welsh Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs, Huw Irranca-Davies, who she has also met with personally to discuss development of a food security approach to food policy in Wales. She has presented results from her research on making agroecologically-grown produce accessible for low-income households at the ORFC, in addition to participation on two other panels: The Search for Common Ground: Reconciling Farming and Academic Research; and The Welsh Policy Perspective on Transforming our Food Systems. In addition to this, Angelina advised on Defra's 2024 National Food Security report; advised and spoke at all five of Food Farming and Countryside Commission's Food Conversations' Citizen Assemblies (https://ffcc.co.uk/so-what-do-we-really-want-from-food); her talk is part of the FFCC's toolkit for organisations that would like to host their own Food Conversation; and she is also linking up AFN Network+'s work with the Sustainable Farming Network (hosted by Harper Adams University) through her role on the Advisory Board. Sarah's public engagement over the last twelve months has included multiple media requests for BBC radio and podcast distribution, as well as interviews for ABC, Sustainable-ish and Women's Health. Sarah was the invited opening keynote speaker for the Food, Farming and Countryside Commission in citizen workshops for their national Food Conversation. Expertise was provided to The Met Office, UKRI, Chatham House, BBSRC, The Royal Society and Defra, creating ongoing undertakings for some, along with other new commitments such as founding member for the Wellcome SHIFT initiative's Advisory Board. Sarah's publication in regard to Food Security and Risk in the UK generated further media and academic calls on their involvements and expertise, while established work continues with local councils in North and West Yorkshire. Tim has contributed to events and highlighted the AFN Scenarios work at many events including Groundswell, CB7, IGD, CCC, Defra, Met Office Workshop, high-level sessions with manufacturers and retailers. Stefan has provided advice to the CCC on crop yield predictions, opportunities and risks for CB7. He also serves on an expert panel for DESNZ/Defra on land and climate scenarios, and is on the advisory boards for the UKRI projects AgZero+ and AI4NZ. He has spoken about AFN scenarios and research and policy priorities at industry events and as Chair of the Agricultural Universities Council has brought the work of AFN to the attention of the DESNZ Minister in the previous Government, the CEO of UKRI, and Executive Chairs of BBSRC and NERC.
First Year Of Impact 2023
Sector Agriculture, Food and Drink
Impact Types Societal

Policy & public services
 
Description Context-Dependent Roadmap
Geographic Reach National 
Policy Influence Type Contribution to new or improved professional practice
 
Description Defra Food Security Expert Elicitation Group
Geographic Reach National 
Policy Influence Type Contribution to a national consultation/review
 
Description Discussion of collaborative possibilities with WRAP -The Waste and Resources Action Programme (a Climate Action NGO)
Geographic Reach Europe 
Policy Influence Type Influenced training of practitioners or researchers
Impact Learnings and advice shared for Behaviour Change and Business Programmes for climate action NGO WRAP (The Waste and Resources Action Programme)
 
Description EDI workshop 1: Achieving representation in stakeholder engagement
Geographic Reach National 
Policy Influence Type Influenced training of practitioners or researchers
URL https://www.youtube.com/watch?si=og-QFnKRck9vwHOc&v=P5RE4CfUWG8&feature=youtu.be
 
Description EDI workshop 2: Measuring representation in research stakeholder engagement
Geographic Reach National 
Policy Influence Type Influenced training of practitioners or researchers
URL https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1_q83vgRAE
 
Description Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Guidance to the Champions
Geographic Reach Europe 
Policy Influence Type Contribution to new or improved professional practice
 
Description Expert Witness Report in the High Court of Justice Case between River Action UK and the Environment Agency and Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and National farmers' Union.
Geographic Reach National 
Policy Influence Type Participation in a guidance/advisory committee
 
Description Identification of Priority research Themes
Geographic Reach Europe 
Policy Influence Type Influenced training of practitioners or researchers
 
Description Memorandum submitted to Chris Skidmore review of Net Zero
Geographic Reach National 
Policy Influence Type Contribution to a national consultation/review
 
Description Memorandum submitted to EFRA Select Committee Inquiry on food security
Geographic Reach National 
Policy Influence Type Contribution to a national consultation/review
URL https://committees.parliament.uk/writtenevidence/111903/pdf/
 
Description Memorandum submitted to House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee Inquiry on environmental change and food security
Geographic Reach National 
Policy Influence Type Contribution to a national consultation/review
URL https://committees.parliament.uk/writtenevidence/114502/pdf/
 
Description UK Food Security Report 2024
Geographic Reach National 
Policy Influence Type Contribution to a national consultation/review
URL https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6756e300a63e1781efb877a1/United_Kingdom_Food_Security...
 
Description UKRI Visit to Fix Our Food
Geographic Reach Europe 
Policy Influence Type Influenced training of practitioners or researchers
 
Description Welsh Labour Community Food Strategy
Geographic Reach National 
Policy Influence Type Participation in a guidance/advisory committee
 
Description Welsh Minister for Social Justice funding for local food partnerships
Geographic Reach National 
Policy Influence Type Implementation circular/rapid advice/letter to e.g. Ministry of Health
Impact There were several new local food partnerships initiated as a result of the funding (including Pembroke, where Angelina Sanderson Bellamy spoke at their inaugural partnership meeting) and many more able to support a local food coordinator for a year in addition to other activities.
URL https://www.foodsensewales.org.uk/minister-for-social-justice-announces-support-for-food-partnership...
 
Description chairing the CCC's Food & Trade Indept Advisory Group
Geographic Reach National 
Policy Influence Type Influenced training of practitioners or researchers
 
Description Grassland Resilience for Net Zero: Sustainable practices for shaping the future of UK land use
Amount £3,798,316 (GBP)
Funding ID BB/Z516181/1 
Organisation Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) 
Sector Public
Country United Kingdom
Start 07/2024 
End 07/2027
 
Description Land Use for NetZero (LUNZ) Hub
Amount £7,800,000 (GBP)
Funding ID BB/Y008723/1 
Organisation Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) 
Sector Public
Country United Kingdom
Start 11/2023 
 
Description Champions 2023 - Anna McCready 
Organisation University of Reading
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution Champions have organised events individually and in groups. The Champions of this cohort were funded by the project in order to dedicate their resources to the activities carried out on behalf of the network. The champions were offered guidance on growing their networks, managing EDI and access to support from the operations team in running events as part of interaction with the project. Each is expected to prepare a written report of activities, and identify research gaps and priorities. Champions are also keen to be involved in handing over to the second wave of Champions who commence their work in January 2024. Through Network activities such as the scenario production process and Big Tent event, a set of six priority research themes were identified. Champion events have been designed to explore specific thematic issues and research questions, but with a common emphasis on building interdisciplinary and cross-sectoral networks and expanding interaction with the Network's Community of Practice. Champions are coming to the end of their funded terms. Each will prepare a written report of activities, and identify research gaps and priorities. Champions are also keen to be involved in handing over to the second wave of Champions who commence their work in January 2024. Through Network activities such as the scenario production process and Big Tent event, a set of six priority research themes were identified.
Collaborator Contribution TBC
Impact Events around Novel Technologies, Analytics, Supply Chain & Consumption (Cellular Agriculture) 1-2 Workshops planned - Explore the role of cellular agriculture on decarbonisation of food protein and fat production within the perspectives of a new approach to production, taking a supply chain, consumer demand and food system view, to identify critical knowledge and activity gaps in the progression towards net zero in agrifood, summarised below: 6 July: Planned - Online 11 July: Planned - Online 13 September: Planned - Online Aims: Explore the potential of decarbonisation through cellular agriculture in achieving net-zero emissions within the UK food system, including the challenges and opportunities related to greenhouse gas emissions reduction. Analyse the land use implications of large-scale implementation cellular agriculture technologies. Assess consumer attitudes towards food produced through cellular agriculture, including factors such as naturalness, sustainability, appeal, cost, safety, and cultural and religious considerations. Examine the interactions of cellular agriculture technologies with other food systems, and identify potential synergies and ways to maximise the benefits of these interactions. Impact: We hope to: Develop a better understanding of current resources, needs and concerns Identify key barriers, opportunities and potential for cellular agriculture with respect to land use change, decarbonising the UK food supply chain, consumer behaviour and food systems interactions Learn more about the issues and challenges facing the agrifood sector to inform AFN+ scenario development Disseminate our findings to influence UK agrifood policy Represented AFN+ at Nigel Scollan's International Meeting at Queen's University Belfast on 23-24 March. Attended the training for the Plausible futures workshops on 17 March. Attended the online Plausible future Scenarios Workshop 2, 23 March Facilitated/took notes at the Plausible future Scenarios Workshop 3 on 4 April, leading a breakout group and delivering notes to the AFN Network for further scenarios development. Facilitated at the Big Tent event in Leeds on 26-27 April to support development of the scenarios. I led breakout groups with attendees at both events, delivering notes to the AFN Network for further scenarios development. Attended John Ingram's Beans Narrative workshop in Birmingham on 5 April and delivered notes for dissemination to the AFN Network for scenarios development. Attended Heiko Balzter's Net Zero Nexus in the Fens workshop 10 March and contributed views and ideas. Interviewed 25 May by Jez Fredenburgh for a podcast on Net Zero and dietary shift - how psychology and poverty determine food choices Behaviour Change Roadshow with two other Champions Bicton College, Devon - 23rd June Braxted Hall, Essex - 26th June Buccleuch Estate, Scotland - 2nd August Compton Verney, Warwickshire - 9th August Hazlewood Castle, Yorkshire - 11th September
Start Year 2022
 
Description Champions 2023 - Heiko Balzter 
Organisation University of Leicester
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution Professor of Physical Geography at the University of Leicester and Director of the Centre for Landscape and Climate Research, Heiko leads UKRI's Landscape Decisions Programme and NERC's National Centre for Earth Observation's International Programme. The champions was offered guidance on growing their networks, managing EDI and access to support from the operations team in running events as part of interaction with the project. They were also funded to carry out engagement and research activities.
Collaborator Contribution TBC
Impact Publication: State of Knowledge on UK Agricultural Peatlands for Food Production and the Net Zero Transition Prof Heiko Balzter et al; On the 10th March 2023, a workshop Food/Net Zero Nexus in the Fens was held Champions have organised events individually and in groups. These included events examining the food/net zero nexus in the Fens to the system-wide issues raised by incorporating more pulses into diets to replace meat. Champion events have been designed to explore specific thematic issues and research questions, but with a common emphasis on building interdisciplinary and cross-sectoral networks and expanding interaction with the Network's Community of Practice. Champions are coming to the end of their funded terms. Each will prepare a written report of activities, and identify research gaps and priorities. Champions are also keen to be involved in handing over to the second wave of Champions who commence their work in January 2024. Through Network activities such as the scenario production process and Big Tent event, a set of six priority research themes were identified. These are as follows:
Start Year 2022
 
Description Champions 2023 - India Langley 
Organisation LettUs Grow
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Private 
PI Contribution Champion events have been designed to explore specific thematic issues and research questions, but with a common emphasis on building interdisciplinary and cross-sectoral networks and expanding interaction with the Network's Community of Practice. The Champions of this cohort were funded by the project in order to dedicate their resources to the activities carried out on behalf of the network. The champions were offered guidance on growing their networks, managing EDI and access to support from the operations team in running events as part of interaction with the project. Each is expected to prepare a written report of activities, and identify research gaps and priorities. Champions are also keen to be involved in handing over to the second wave of Champions who commence their work in January 2024. Through Network activities such as the scenario production process and Big Tent event, a set of six priority research themes were identified.
Collaborator Contribution TBC
Impact India is the Food Systems Research Lead at LettUs Grow, with eight years experience working across alternative food production methods and technologies in everything from start-ups to non-profits and multinational companies. She was on the Take a Bite out of Climate Change project team, provides support to FixOurFood's Grow It York program, and is pursuing postgraduate study at the Centre for Food Policy in London. Activities included: Literature reviews, government strategy reviews, expert interviews, and systems mapping were used to identify intervention points which could connect and accelerate net zero oriented agri-food innovation deployment. A literature review was conducted aiming to explore the role of agri-food innovations in net zero, identify barriers and enablers to scaling net zero oriented agri-food innovations, and investigate opportunities for synergies between them. It sought to understand policy's role within this, and whether a mission economy policy-framework could be more supportive than the status quo. This included a review of eight government strategy documents related to net zero oriented agri-food innovations, including four directed at the UK's innovation strategy, two targeted at food and farming innovation, one food strategy, and one innovation report. Event activities carried out included: 1) AFN+ Circular CEA Clusters (in person) 2) Personal invitation, circulation of the invitation through the FarmTech Society, advertisement of the event through the GreenTech website and brochure. 3) 15 4) Industry players in the controlled environment agriculture sector: Mostly founders, researchers, business developers, and horticultural growers. 5) In person 6) Live discussions around the topics: Main Q's How can cross-disciplinary collaboration, the establishment of shared resource networks, or knowledge-sharing platforms accelerate innovation and the adoption of indoor farming solutions? As we explore the concept of clusters and interconnected farms, it's important to consider not only circularity and ecological footprints but also sustainable business models. In your view, how can circularity, clustering benefits, and sustainable business models be harmonised to create long-term success in the indoor farming industry? Historically, the financing of CEA facilities, particularly vertical farms (VF), has often led to a lack of collaboration within the industry - with many companies playing their cards close to their chests. How can collaboration and knowledge exchange be better fostered within the indoor farming industry to enhance scalability, efficiency, and sustainability? Energy use is a major concern in indoor farming. How can the industry foster collaboration to develop energy-efficient solutions, share resources and build best practices for sustainable cultivation? Subsidiary Q'd In the pursuit of achieving more efficient indoor farming practices, what are the key areas where collaboration and shared resources can make a significant impact? In terms of research and development, what are the untapped opportunities for cross-disciplinary collaboration to accelerate innovation in horticulture technology? Circular CEA clusters have the potential to create localised ecosystems of interconnected indoor farms. What are some key benefits and challenges of establishing such clusters, particularly in terms of optimising energy usage and moving towards achieving energy self-sufficiency? Circular CEA clusters require strong cooperation among various stakeholders, including farmers, technology providers, researchers, and policymakers. What are the key strategies to foster effective collaboration and create a supportive ecosystem for circular CEA clusters to thrive? Circular economy principles often involve extending the life cycle of materials and products. How can circular CEA clusters promote the reuse and recycling of materials, such as substrates, growing mediums, or automation components, to reduce waste and enhance resource efficiency? How can these clusters bridge the gap between research and commercial implementation, enabling faster adoption of innovative indoor farming solutions? What role can industry associations or professional networks play in fostering collaboration and sharing resources among indoor growers, and what strategies can be employed to encourage their involvement? What are the potential benefits of establishing shared research facilities or knowledge-sharing platforms to promote collaboration and advance the field of indoor farming? What are some successful examples of collaborative training initiatives that have enhanced skills and knowledge sharing within the indoor farming community? 1) AFN+ Decarbonisation through Cellular Agriculture (Online Workshop) 2) Personal invitations through the networks of three champions (Parag, Anna, and myself) 3) 23 4) A mixture of cellular agriculture industry players, farmers and academics interested in cellular agriculture. 5) Online 6) Recorded discussion around the following questions: How can cellular agriculture contribute to achieving net-zero emissions in the food sector? What are the specific challenges and opportunities for cellular agriculture in reducing greenhouse gas emissions? What land use changes can be expected with the large-scale implementation of cellular agriculture technologies? To what extent will energy, feed or water requirements determine the location, scale and distribution of the production? What are the current consumer perceptions of protein produced through cellular agriculture in terms of naturalness, sustainability, appeal, cost, and safety? How do cultural and religious factors, such as halal or kosher requirements, influence consumer acceptance? How can consumer attitudes be improved to increase their adoption? Are there potential circular opportunities for these outputs? (What will be the primary feedstock & waste products, & where will it be supplied from/ be dealt with?) How will the product be packaged, handled and transported? Will there be a need for specific cold chain logistics for example or will the product be shelf stable/ long shelf life? 1) 1:1 Interviews with Sustainable Innovation Managers 2) Personal invitations through my network, introductions by mutual connections, and searching the websites of agri-tech centres, agri-innovation centres of excellence, 3) 10 4) To qualify for the interview, participants needed a job title equivalent to "Innovation Manager". Those specialising in sustainability were prioritised. 5) Mixed: online and in person 6) Recorded answers to the following questions In your cohorts, what are the main innovation trends you're seeing that are trying to help the UK reach NZ? By trend I mean broad groupings like insect farming, controlled environment agriculture, small autonomous robots, or anaerobic digestion. What are the biggest barriers that XYZ sector needs to overcome? (Ask for each trend identified) What would enable XYZ sector to scale more quickly? (Ask for each trend identified) In your professional opinion, how viable is XYZ sector? (Ask for each trend identified) Of which the output is a 30 000 report currently being prepared for open access. Non academic audiences enagaged included: Involvement of innovation experts in events and interviews Involvement of innovation actors (founders and employees of agri-food innovation start-ups) in events Promotion of work through wide food systems audiences via social media and at events. Further impact as detailed below: Funding was accessed and a pilot project started exploring the use of digestate from anaerobic digesters as synthetic fertiliser substitute in aeroponic controlled environment agriculture. Open access paper currently being written to share findings. Two blogs written Two speaking appointments 15 social media posts At least one new Champion elected as a direct result of role as Champion. Further representation of the AFN network as detailed below: Oxford Farming Conference - (networking and discussing the AFN with other delegates) Oxford Real Farming Conference (networking and discussing the AFN with other delegates) Lecture at Royal Agricultural University (two slides added to my lecture informing MSc Agri-Tech students about the network) Fresh Produce Consortium (networking, discussing the AFN with other delegates and standholders, and inviting innovation managers to interview) AgriFood4NetZero Network+ Plausible Future Scenarios (1) (AFN event, I was the scribe) AgriFood4NetZero Network+ Plausible Future Scenarios (2) (AFN event, I was the scribe) AgriFood4NetZero Network+ Beans Workshop (another AFN champion event, I was a participant adding to discussion) AFN Network+ LUNZ discussion (AFN event, I was in attendance but contributed little) AFN Network+ Big Tent (AFN event, I facilitated two discussions, was on a panel and recorded a podcast) Circle of Leaders (protected horticulture) (networking and discussing the AFN with other delegates) GreenTech (used event to host my in-person workshop, networking and discussing the AFN with other delegates) AFN Network+ Crucible (AFN event: lead a group bid and generally supported other teams and networked across the network) Indoor AgTech (networking and discussing the AFN with other delegates) AgriFood4NetZero Network+ Champions Workshop Supporting Individual and Institutional Behaviour Change Towards Net Zero (1) (AFN Champion event: participated in breakout groups) AgriFood4NetZero Network+ Champions Workshop Supporting Individual and Institutional Behaviour Change Towards Net Zero (2) (AFN Champion event: participated in breakout groups) State visit Bordeaux (networking and discussing the AFN with other delegates) Agri-Tech: Accelerating Innovation (networking and discussing the AFN with other delegates) Transdisciplinary solutions to meet the UK Food System Challenges (networking and discussing the AFN with other delegates) AFN Network+ Agri-Food System and Net Zero workshop (AFN event: participated in breakout groups) COP28 (networking and discussing the AFN with other delegates) The focus was on industry voices rather than the conventional academic perspectives. This deliberate choice aimed to encompass a broader range of experiences and insights that might not be adequately represented in traditional academic circles. The Champion intentionally sought out voices from various backgrounds, including professionals, practitioners, and experts from underrepresented communities within the industry. This strategy was instrumental in enriching the dialogue with a wide array of viewpoints, and creating a more comprehensive and inclusive narrative. The Champion made conscious efforts to address not only demographic diversity but also diverse perspectives, experiences, and expertise. By actively engaging with individuals who may not be considered the 'usual suspects' in the field, aimed to create a more inclusive and representative discussion that reflects the variety within the agri-food system. The decision was taken to include individual interviews to allow these people to speak freely, have confidence in their answers and not feel the need to agree with the "usual suspects" in group dynamics. This approach not only contributed to a more comprehensive understanding of the theme but also fostered a more inclusive and equitable environment for discourse.
Start Year 2022
 
Description Champions 2023 - John Ingram 
Organisation University of Oxford
Department Environmental Change Institute
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution Champions have organised events individually and in groups. The Champions of this cohort were funded by the project in order to dedicate their resources to the activities carried out on behalf of the network. The champions were offered guidance on growing their networks, managing EDI and access to support from the operations team in running events as part of interaction with the project. Each is expected to prepare a written report of activities, and identify research gaps and priorities. Champions are also keen to be involved in handing over to the second wave of Champions who commence their work in January 2024. Through Network activities such as the scenario production process and Big Tent event, a set of six priority research themes were identified. Champion events have been designed to explore specific thematic issues and research questions, but with a common emphasis on building interdisciplinary and cross-sectoral networks and expanding interaction with the Network's Community of Practice. Champions are coming to the end of their funded terms. Each will prepare a written report of activities, and identify research gaps and priorities. Champions are also keen to be involved in handing over to the second wave of Champions who commence their work in January 2024. Through Network activities such as the scenario production process and Big Tent event, a set of six priority research themes were identified.
Collaborator Contribution TBC
Impact John is ECI Food Programme Leader at Oxford University, leads the 'Interdisciplinary Food Systems Teaching and Learning' programme, and co-leads the Foresight4Food and Food System Impact Valuation programmes. He also coordinated the GFS £15m 'Resilience of the UK Food System' programme. Review Paper, 'A Systematic Analysis of the Contribution of Pulses to Net Zero in the UK', (Marcus Horril, Rosanne Maguire and John Ingram) submitted to Environmental Research Food Systems; a Summit Report Beans as a vehicle for transforming food system outcomes , Marcus Horril (working with John Ingram). It should be noted that some of the funding was used to support the work of a research assistant Activities included to assess who's doing what across the beans/legume food system arena that could contribute to Net 0, with outputs inlcuding a list of key stakeholders established. and a literature review by RA Marcus Horril to identify the state of research for the nine research questions that made up the narrative. There were several workshops in April and July, of which the April workshop is summarised below: Beans Narrative Workshop, Birmingham on 5th of April All Champions invited and also asking them all to nominate people from their area of expertise. The workshop explored and evaluated a narrative that mapped across all nine Themes of the AFN Network +. The aim was to capture opportunities and challenges for 'Systems Interactions in Supply Chains' (Theme 8) for this case study in relation to the other eight themes, with a view to identifying new research questions and enlarging the Community of Practice to address them. The main output was an example discussion pathway towards Net Zero based on diet change towards beans instead of red meat, with the impact being realisation of potential for Net 0 across whole supply chain. AFN links were drawn through the co-convening with Beans Is How and BeanMeals a workshop 27-28 Sept to bring together a diverse community interested in beans/legumes. This has spawned a multi stakeholder working group to agree common agenda and codevelop new research proposals which I am leading for the duration of the BeanMeals project, i.e. until Nov 2024. Further impact is summarised below: Mapping of potential involvement of all 9 AFN Champ areas designed on a logical sequence of engagement: 1. Design systemic intervention to change towards more bean-based diets then 2. Estimate UK value chain trade-offs for bean-based meals and 3. Scope feasibility of developing novel foods based on bean cultivars then 4. Measure the impact of CO2e information on decision-making by procurers and 5. Survey of attitudes towards alternative beans in farming systems then 6. Review of the impact of nitrogen-fixing beans on runoff and 7. Review the impact of including beans in the crop rotation on soil carbon capture and nitrogen availability for the following crop (reducing the rate of N fertiliser and N2O emissions) With follow on activities including a Webinar on Systemic Innovation as exemplified by the BeanMeals TUKFS project. planned for May this year
Start Year 2022
 
Description Champions 2023 - Parag Acharya 
Organisation University of Greenwich
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution Parag is Senior Fellow in Food Innovation at the Natural Resources Institute, University of Greenwich, with 14 years' industrial R&D experience in the food and biotechnology sectors - including as Unilever's science lead (2011-2020). He's worked on climate-smart, alternative protein foods funded by GCRF, STFC Food Network+, SUSFOOD2 ERA-NET and Defra. On the 6th and 11th of July there were 2 online workshops online on Fat and Protein decarbonisation through cellular agriculture The champions was offered guidance on growing their networks, managing EDI and access to support from the operations team in running events as part of interaction with the project. They were also funded to carry out engagement and research activities.
Collaborator Contribution TBC
Impact Champions have organised events individually and in groups. These included events examining the food/net zero nexus in the Fens to the system-wide issues raised by incorporating more pulses into diets to replace meat. Champion events have been designed to explore specific thematic issues and research questions, but with a common emphasis on building interdisciplinary and cross-sectoral networks and expanding interaction with the Network's Community of Practice. Champions are coming to the end of their funded terms. Each will prepare a written report of activities, and identify research gaps and priorities. Champions are also keen to be involved in handing over to the second wave of Champions who commence their work in January 2024. Through Network activities such as the scenario production process and Big Tent event, a set of six priority research themes were identified.
Start Year 2022
 
Description Champions 2023 - Richard Pywell 
Organisation UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Public 
PI Contribution Richard is Head of Biodiversity Science at the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology. He has 25 years' research experience of working with the farming industry and policymakers to balance sustainable food production with reversing biodiversity declines. He led the Defra and Natural England-funded Hillesden Farm Research Platform, and currently co-leads the AgZero+ programme. The champions was offered guidance on growing their networks, managing EDI and access to support from the operations team in running events as part of interaction with the project. They were also funded to carry out engagement and research activities.
Collaborator Contribution TBC
Impact Events: Peatland Re-wetting - Greenhouse Gas Removals Demonstrator, Pollybell Farm, Doncaster Myerscough College, Preston Biomass Production July Peatland Re-wettingGreenhouse Gas Removals Demonstrator, Pollybell Farm, Doncaster Champions have organised events individually and in groups. These included events examining the food/net zero nexus in the Fens to the system-wide issues raised by incorporating more pulses into diets to replace meat. Champion events have been designed to explore specific thematic issues and research questions, but with a common emphasis on building interdisciplinary and cross-sectoral networks and expanding interaction with the Network's Community of Practice. Champions are coming to the end of their funded terms. Each will prepare a written report of activities, and identify research gaps and priorities. Champions are also keen to be involved in handing over to the second wave of Champions who commence their work in January 2024. Through Network activities such as the scenario production process and Big Tent event, a set of six priority research themes were identified. These are as follows
Start Year 2022
 
Description Champions 2023 - Robert Costanza 
Organisation University College London
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution Champion events have been designed to explore specific thematic issues and research questions, but with a common emphasis on building interdisciplinary and cross-sectoral networks and expanding interaction with the Network's Community of Practice. The Champions of this cohort were funded by the project in order to dedicate their resources to the activities carried out on behalf of the network. The champions were offered guidance on growing their networks, managing EDI and access to support from the operations team in running events as part of interaction with the project. Each is expected to prepare a written report of activities, and identify research gaps and priorities. Champions are also keen to be involved in handing over to the second wave of Champions who commence their work in January 2024. Through Network activities such as the scenario production process and Big Tent event, a set of six priority research themes were identified.
Collaborator Contribution TBC
Impact Robert is Professor of Ecological Economics at the Institute for Global Prosperity (IGP) at University College London (UCL). He's a Fellow in the Academy of Social Sciences in Australia (ASSA) and the Royal Society of Arts (RSA) in the UK, an Overseas Expert in the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), and a Senior Fellow at the Stockholm Resilience Centre at the University of Stockholm. Achieving net zero in the agri-food sector is a multifaceted endeavour that demands a comprehensive understanding of its complex dynamics, encompassing production, supply chains, consumption, waste management, land use, governance, economics, trade, and beyond. In order to address this demand, I led three workshops on mapping of the UK agri-food stakeholders and processes using the method of systems mapping and modelling. The three workshops were convened in April 2023, September 2023, and January 2024 to: (1) generate the systems map/conceptual model of the UK agri-food sector through a participatory approach, (2) identify leverage points for change, and (3) initiate development of a preliminary systems dynamics model of the UK agri-food system. The first workshop and the preparation for it generally functioned as Activity 1 in this report. Activity 1 (workshop 1) introduced/reviewed: i) the methods of systems thinking and diagramming, and group model building; and ii) their application in agri-food studies; iii) kumu.io as the tool for (systems) mapping and collaborating. Then, through group interaction, the participants produced a candidate list of elements in the UK agri-food system, from the perspective of the food life cycle. The participants also discussed the basic structure of the agri-food conceptual model. After the in-person session, the workshop produced a preliminary structure of the conceptual model and circulated it with the participants online. For the three workshops as a whole, the resulting conceptual model aimed to capture the major stocks and flows in this complex system and identify leverage points for potential transformation. This model ultimately will contribute to the identification and development of plausible pathways to a net zero UK. During the workshops, hierarchical graphs of the conceptual model were created, representing a shared comprehension of the UK agri-food system. The conceptual model served as a foundational tool for discussions during and outside the workshops on the leverage points and plausible pathways for transformation. The model also provided the groundwork for more quantitative Systems Dynamics (SD) modelling and research endeavours. Participants of the workshop also engaged in thematic discussions on the optimal level of complexity the conceptual model should capture, future modelling options, such as sector-specific analyses, integration of modelling methods, and specific farming practices to focus on. Activity 1 produced: A preliminary list of identified elements in the conceptual model and their general positions within the food life cycle, from which a preliminary conceptual mapping of the UK agri-food systems was built. This preliminary list includes around 100 elements and the major connections among them. A dataset documenting the list of elements and their connections. https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1CCmzpT9MSC8uN1Acuz5LGe_nls9VFsnd/ Model: Conceptual Model of the UK agri-food system, Prof Robert Costanza A conceptual model of the UK agri-food system; Foundational structure of a SD model based on the conceptual mapping; Engagement with diverse stakeholders through a participatory approach; Introduced the perspective of systems thinking/agri-food systems to more non-academic stakeholders; Cultivated a network of stakeholders who have interest in further developing modelling and mapping skills, and facilitated communication across stakeholder groups. Events included: Events title: Agri-food System Conceptual Modelling Workshops Event theme: Systems Interactions and Complexity The participants were recruited through: The event webpage of AFN Network+, social media, word of mouth, and in-person recruit at other relevant events. The number of participants: respectively, around 20, 25 and 30 participants registered for the three workshops and have been following the progress of the workshops and providing feedbacks and comments online. Around 45 participants attended at least one in the series of workshops in person. The participants at the workshops were from academia, the public sector, and agricultural practitioners, including organic farmers and food processors. The workshops were hosted in person at Room 301, One Pool Street, UCL East, London. The workshops also circulated outcomes online with the participants, and received and incorporated many online feedbacks into its final outcomes. For the content of the first workshop, please see the previous section of "Activity 1: Describe Activity". The second workshop reviewed the preliminary structure of the conceptual model, facilitated group discussions, and modified the structure of conceptual model using kumu.io based on the discussions. The group discussions at the workshop covered the following topics: i) checked for any missed key stocks and flows; ii) important factors controlling the key flows; iii) crucial feedback loops emerged from the structure; iv) the main leverage points for transformation towards net zero; and v) the main barriers, incentives and opportunities for positive change. Later, the workshop modified the structure of the agri-food conceptual model based on the comments and feedbacks from the participatory process. The workshop also produced hierarchical graphs of the systems mapping and provided participants with periodic updates of the outcomes. At this stage, the conceptual model also functioned as the basis of another workshop at Cambridge Potato Growers Association (CUPGRA), where around 80 to 90 farmers and processors developed systems maps focusing on greenhouse gas emissions and crucial factors controlling the key flows. The third workshop first refreshed the updates on the UK agri-food conceptual model and reviewed the hierarchical graphs of the conceptual model. The participants discussed and provided comments on the structure of the hierarchical graphs, the appropriate level of complexity the different hierarchical graphs should capture, and further checked for missing elements and flows. Then, the workshop presented a candidate list of key leverage points based on their degree of centrality in the conceptual model. The participants discussed the candidate list, the selection method, and other possible methods for generating the list of key leverage points. More importantly, based on the systems mapping, the workshop demonstrated and used SD modelling software (Stella) to produce the foundational structure of a quantitative simulation model of the UK agri-food system. This live process was highly interactive and combined expert knowledge from the participants and modeller. Lastly, the participants discussed the modelling software and method, potential direction, opportunity for future development of the SD model, and possible proxies for the variables in the model and systems mapping. Outputs included: Systems mapping of hierarchy: a whole-system view of the conceptual model of the UK agri-food system: From which the extrapolations are available: a systems graph at a higher level of hierarchy: views of the candidate leverage points, weighted by outdegree: Data (spreadsheet) derived from the systems mapping Overall structure of the SD model in Stella modules There were many non-academic audiences throughout 2023, both during and outside the workshop series. Below are the main groups of the non-academic audiences: Participants of workshops: from organic farming organisations and the public sector. Farmers and processors at CUPGRA, of which many were introduced for the first time the perspective of systems thinking and agri-food systems and became very interested in further develop their own systems maps based on the existing conceptual model, or independently, to benefit their business operations. Other agri-food industry stakeholders: sheep farmers from the National Sheep Association (NSA) and meat processors (at the AFN Crucible event and later through the AFN funded scoping studies "Mapping incentives for change in the transition to NetZero", which is inspired by the content and method of this workshop series). Other impact included: Inspired other agri-food projects using the method of systems thinking: Workshop at the 34th Annual Cambridge Potato Conference: Mapping the potato food network in relation to Net Zero, Sarah Roberts, National Institute of Agricultural Botany (NIAB) and Tianchu Lu, University College London (UCL) AFN Scoping Studies: Mapping incentives for change in the transition to NetZero, Shailesh Shrestha, Scotland's Rural College (SRUC), Steven Jacobs, Organic Farmers & Growers CIC (OF&G); Nicola Noble, NSA; Kerry Whiteside, Samworth Brothers; Albert Boaitey, Newcastle University; Tianchu Lu, UCL; Joy Okwuwa-Okonkwo, University of West England; Tarek Soliman, SRUC Other events attended as part of role included: 1. EU Beyond Growth 2023 Conference, plenary talk on systems modelling and policy - see Comment in Nature. 2. AFN Big Tent Event 2023 (engaged with industry stakeholders, who later participated in the Scoping Studies project) Champions have organised events individually and in groups. These included events examining the food/net zero nexus in the Fens to the system-wide issues raised by incorporating more pulses into diets to replace meat. Champion events have been designed to explore specific thematic issues and research questions, but with a common emphasis on building interdisciplinary and cross-sectoral networks and expanding interaction with the Network's Community of Practice. Champions are coming to the end of their funded terms. Each will prepare a written report of activities, and identify research gaps and priorities. Champions are also keen to be involved in handing over to the second wave of Champions who commence their work in January 2024. Through Network activities such as the scenario production process and Big Tent event, a set of six priority research themes were identified.
Start Year 2022
 
Description Champions 2023 - Simon Wilcock 
Organisation Rothamsted Research
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution Simon is a Principal Scientist at Rothamsted Research and Professor of Sustainability at University of Bangor. He's an interdisciplinary researcher with a strong track record across UKRI (>£5M) in large-scale social science, ecosystem services, and resilience and tipping points. Champions have organised events individually and in groups. These included events examining the food/net zero nexus in the Fens to the system-wide issues raised by incorporating more pulses into diets to replace meat. Champion events have been designed to explore specific thematic issues and research questions, but with a common emphasis on building interdisciplinary and cross-sectoral networks and expanding interaction with the Network's Community of Practice. Champions are coming to the end of their funded terms. Each will prepare a written report of activities, and identify research gaps and priorities. Champions are also keen to be involved in handing over to the second wave of Champions who commence their work in January 2024. Through Network activities such as the scenario production process and Big Tent event, a set of six priority research themes were identified. These are as follows
Collaborator Contribution Champions have organised events individually and in groups. These included events examining the food/net zero nexus in the Fens to the system-wide issues raised by incorporating more pulses into diets to replace meat. Champion events have been designed to explore specific thematic issues and research questions, but with a common emphasis on building interdisciplinary and cross-sectoral networks and expanding interaction with the Network's Community of Practice. Champions are coming to the end of their funded terms. Each will prepare a written report of activities, and identify research gaps and priorities. Champions are also keen to be involved in handing over to the second wave of Champions who commence their work in January 2024. Through Network activities such as the scenario production process and Big Tent event, a set of six priority research themes were identified. These are as follows
Impact Literature was reviewed to address the following action: ACTION 2.1: Map current knowledge by answering the below questions, with the aim of being able to provide greater insight by the end of the network activities (i.e. in 2.5 years time). This was summarised in a 2,000 word report that was shared with AFN. The primary achievement was the seven events. The data collected by me on barriers to adopting restorative 'maximum sustainable yield' type approaches will be useful, as will the local solutions that were also identified These occured in Devon, Essex, Scotland, Warwickshire, Yorkshire, wales and online throughout the summer and autumn, attendance numbers varied from 20 to 28 with total attendance being 149. Participants were classified as: Academic/Research Policy maker NGO/Charity Farmer/Producer Consultant Utilities Trade Association/Advisor Retailer Manufacturer/Processor Media (journalist) They were recruited via our personal networks, as well as the AFN community mailing list. The champion's focussed sessions included: Recognising that much of agriculture is unsustainable (e.g. widespread declines in biodiversity and soil organic carbon, we seek to identifying the barriers stopping us moving away from a focus on maximum yields and towards a 'Maximum Sustainable Yield' type approach. A similar shift occurred recently in fisheries. We would like to discuss the potential barriers to this approach and then, for the most important barriers, try to suggest possible solutions! The workshops have already had some impact. Participants greatly enjoyed attending the events, and this was commented on by many. As a result, many joined the AFN community mailing lists and will further engage with the programme in future. One of the reason for their enjoyment was the ability to share ideas with their peers and spend time thinking about issues they would not normally prioritise. For some, this may have changed their thinking in a few areas. Further impact will be achieved once the academic paper (above) is complete as that is when the full findings will be known The participants have been informed of the preliminary results. Podcasts were produced directly for AFN, and recording for the NFYFC- Uplands Podcast is due shortly. Other impact is likely to follow the production of an academic paper which once published will be updated in research fish Alongside Richard Pywell, I represented AFN in numerous meetings with the AgZero+ project (https://agzeroplus.org.uk/). AgZero+ is an ambitious five-year research programme supporting the UK's transition towards domestic food production that is sustainable, carbon-neutral and has a positive effect on nature. The main result was to ensure that the two programmes did not duplicate effort. I also represented AFN at Rothamsted Research, resulting in at least one ECR applying for and winning £50k as PI. At the Big Tent in Leeds in 2023, it was very obvious that there was a strong academic bias in AFN. I addressed this by ensuring that my events were at locations attractive to producers, as well as spread throughout the UK to ensure these busy people did not have far to travel. Furthermore, we showed respect for their time and contributions, covering this with a compensatory payment, as well as covering any travel expenses. This resulted in strong engagement with producers, who are the primary target of my role. In general, the events had a good gender balance, although most individual were white (which is somewhat reflective of the agricultural sector). Cross-thematic working was necessary in order to achieve success. I worked with the other behaviour change champions on all the events and this vastly increased our convening power (as well as our resources!). As a result, we were able to garner strong engagement in a series of day-long events that covered three themes in one go. This approach worked extremely well.
Start Year 2022
 
Description Champions 2024 - Amy Jackson 
Organisation Amy Jackson
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Private 
PI Contribution Amy Jackson is a consultant at Oxtale Ltd. Her work is in issues & crisis management in agriculture. She has a PhD from Nottingham University's School of Veterinary Sciences on dairy farming, funded by the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board. The contributions made by the research team thus far, is to onboard the champions to the project, offer some guidance and opportunity to engage in onboarding and developing the research themes further for the network
Collaborator Contribution Work towards ultimate output will, a spreadsheet of resources and activities which is searchable, reducing time and effort for those involved and interested in this area. To help inform the development of this, I have talked to a number of academics including Ruth Nettle at Uni of Melbourne, the team at CCRI, and David Christian Rose at Harper Adams University. The audience is anyone involved in this area who is looking for information on resources and activities specifically in the area of farmer behaviour change around net greenhouse gas emissions in all main farming sectors. The aim is to also develop concepts of opportunities and blockers towards progress, which will be expanded on and tested in a later exercise. Involvement with a key IGD project around food resilience - The Institute of Grocery Distribution has an ambition to link actors in the food and farming supply chain to activate more/faster change around greenhouse gas emissions and nature recovery - but while sustaining food resilience in the UK. The IGD project is convening influencers and experts from before farm to beyond fork - and this is my audience. My concern is how well they are engaging with farmers in trying to achieve their goals. As c. 70% of scope 3 emissions in the food chain are created in primary production, farmers need to feel empowered and motivated to tackle emissions - and their behaviour change starts with external recognition that they are a key stakeholder and enabler. According to behaviour change theories, if farmers are to embrace change, they need to feel they have agency to act, and the motivation to do so. The project is ongoing and ramping up post-election, with another meeting on 11 July. The potential impact of this project is a more joined up policy from government, supported by industry, which prioritises truly sustainable food resilience in the UK. In particular, I have pushed for three elements to be included: widescale baselining of emissions and above/below ground carbon in England funded by Government (similar to the exercise currently underway in Northern Ireland) to create personalised information on which farmers can act; a better regulatory framework to encourage farmers to engage in carbon and nature markets; and a call to change the way carbon is accounted in agriculture, so that farmers are able to net off their emissions against sequestration and energy generation to encourage uptake of both. Networking - I am starting to post more regularly on the new LinkedIn Behaviour Change group, but need to engage with this more. It has 44 members, and I am trying to grow this - although restrict it too to behaviour change specialists in this field. Ultimately, the aim of this group is to advise me on my mapping work, and also support a future exercise in farmer behaviour change. I have also networked at events, attending the Low Carbon Agriculture Show. Groundswell and Down to Earth, as well as the AFN events - the Big Tent, Deep Dive into Methane, and the Crucible. Looking to finish the year/15 months with a clear conclusion on what will encourage farmers to engage in emissions reduction, and where further research or policy intervention is needed.
Impact tbc - more will be included in future reporting as collaboration matures
Start Year 2024
 
Description Champions 2024 - Caeli Richardson 
Organisation AbacusBio
Department AbacusBio UK
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Private 
PI Contribution Caeli Richardson is a Plant and Animal Geneticist with AbacusBio International Ltd, a plant and animal breeding company. She has a PhD in Computational Biology and has been working on the International Committee of Animal Recording's Young Persons Exchange Program investigating sustainability in cattle, focusing on feed efficiency and methane emissions The contributions made by the research team thus far, is to onboard the champions to the project, offer some guidance and opportunity to engage in onboarding and developing the research themes further for the network
Collaborator Contribution Network Building and Mapping Met with key stakeholders to expand network and understand the current landscape of applying genetics and breeding to improve productivity and reduce emissions, with the goal of reaching Net-Zero by 2050 Develop network linkages between UK genetic improvement companies and the larger international genetic improvement network Conducting initiated mapping exercise through research and interviews to identify practical steps and strategies for implementing sustainable breeding practices in plants and animals. Event Attendance Big Tent International Committee of Animal Recording Groundswell ICAR 2024: Feed and Gas Working Group : Keynote speaker and workshop facilitator at high-profile event focused on animal data recording, with particular interest in breeding and genetics to reach net-zero. network with leading experts in the field. Key highlights included productive meetings with representatives from the Global Methane Hub, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), International Committee of Animal Recording, and the European Federation of Animal Breeders Target Audience Organizations and Attendees UK Agri-Tech Centres, SRUC/EGENES, British Texel Sheep Society, Aberdeen Angus, Bayer Crop Science, University of Edinburgh Roslin Institute, Reading University, QMS, AHDB, NIAB , University of Reading, Tomatoes Growers Association, Horticulture Crop Protection Ltd, Pasture for Life, Institute for European Environmental Policy, Royal Agriculture University, Low Footprint Lambs UK, Peacock Technology, Trinity AgTech, Alba Trees, Vinescape, University of Essex, and farm Carbon Toolkit
Impact Network Building and Mapping Met with key stakeholders to expand network and understand the current landscape of applying genetics and breeding to improve productivity and reduce emissions, with the goal of reaching Net-Zero by 2050 Develop network linkages between UK genetic improvement companies and the larger international genetic improvement network Conducting initiated mapping exercise through research and interviews to identify practical steps and strategies for implementing sustainable breeding practices in plants and animals. Event Attendance Big Tent International Committee of Animal Recording Groundswell ICAR 2024: Feed and Gas Working Group : Keynote speaker and workshop facilitator at high-profile event focused on animal data recording, with particular interest in breeding and genetics to reach net-zero. network with leading experts in the field. Key highlights included productive meetings with representatives from the Global Methane Hub, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), International Committee of Animal Recording, and the European Federation of Animal Breeders Target Audience Organizations and Attendees UK Agri-Tech Centres, SRUC/EGENES, British Texel Sheep Society, Aberdeen Angus, Bayer Crop Science, University of Edinburgh Roslin Institute, Reading University, QMS, AHDB, NIAB , University of Reading, Tomatoes Growers Association, Horticulture Crop Protection Ltd, Pasture for Life, Institute for European Environmental Policy, Royal Agriculture University, Low Footprint Lambs UK, Peacock Technology, Trinity AgTech, Alba Trees, Vinescape, University of Essex, and farm Carbon Toolkit I actively engage with Dr. Martin Chadwick from the ECR board. He is working along side me and supporting me through his technical expertise and network in plant genetics. Martin will be vital in researching the development and implementation of plant breeding strategies in various crops across the UK, which will feed into the impact-ease assessment. I am directly involved in the development of two Scoping Studies and an Advisor on a third. This includes Scoping Studies submitted by: University of Edinburgh and British Texel Breeding Society University of Reading and AbacusBio Royal Agriculture University Outputs: Analysis Framework Development Built network of key genetic improvement stakeholders in the UK with systems-level expertise and comprehensive specialism coverage Completed final draft of project plan Developed impact-ease framework for data analysis Completed exercise to gage industry readiness for implementing genetic mitigation strategy in UK dairy, beef and sheep industries using developed impact-ease criteria. Using a Network+ approach, I facilitated co-development, engaging scientists and stakeholders to prioritize UKRI and other research agendas. Potential Impact: Forged strong partnerships and produced high-caliber research, driving policy and practice towards a sustainable, net-zero agrifood future. Impact - ease assessment identifying key UK sectors to target for implementing genetic improvement to reach net-zero.
Start Year 2024
 
Description Champions 2024 - Georgie Barber 
Organisation Food, Farming and Countryside Commission
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Charity/Non Profit 
PI Contribution Georgie Barber works as the Land Use and Countryside lead for the Food, Farming and Countryside Commission. Previously, she worked for the Global Alliance for the Future of Food and the European Climate Foundation - on food systems, nature and climate. The contributions made by the research team thus far, is to onboard the champions to the project, offer some guidance and opportunity to engage in onboarding and developing the research themes further for the network
Collaborator Contribution My aim is to set a baseline for organisations working on land use change and strategy, as land use policies are disparate and organisations are working in siloes. Therefore, I have started mapping legislation and policies relating to land use across the four nations of the UK, and mapping existing academic research on land use strategies, land use change trade offs in climate, food production and biodiversity, and other relevant material. I have also began reaching out to organisations working on strategic land use governance at the subnational level, to understand their challenges and solutions. The intended output is a report, baselining the state of subnational land use governance in the UK. This will not be exhaustive, but will rather give an indication of the breadth of work currently being undertaken and the challenges and opportunities. There will be two intended audiences: firstly, policymakers at both national government and local authority / other subnational (but still strategic) levels. Secondly, academics and researchers who are interested in current gaps in policy makers' knowledge around land use decisions. For policymakers, the idea is to highlight existing pathways for action from local authorities and subnational actors, for those interested in pursuing strategic land use governance and to share best practice. I aim to highlight current challenges at the subnational level that national government and policymakers might be able to solve. The potential impact is speeding up the process of strategic land use governance adoption, with newcomers having practical information on how to start this process and national government closing policy gaps to improve processes and therefore outcomes at the local level. This will be further sped up by highlighting gaps in knowledge to academics and researchers, so that they can produce the necessary knowledge for policymakers to act effectively. Contact with Hermann Kam and Philippa Simmonds from the Early Career Researchers, currently to identify overlaps and links with their research interests. As the initial research progresses to analysis, I expect to work more closely with Hermann in particular.
Impact tbc - more will be included in future reporting as collaboration matures
Start Year 2024
 
Description Champions 2024 - Saher Hasnain 
Organisation University of Oxford
Department Environmental Change Institute
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution Saher Hasnain is a researcher at the Food Systems Transformation Programme with the University of Oxford's Environmental Change Institute. Trained as an environmental scientist and geographer, she currently works on an interdisciplinary portfolio focused on food systems and foresight analysis. She has served as the Chair of the Network's Early Career Researchers Board this year. The contributions made by the research team thus far, is to onboard the champions to the project, offer some guidance and opportunity to engage in onboarding and developing the research themes further for the network
Collaborator Contribution Activity 1, Mapping and Synthesising Knowledge: this activity is focused on developing a picture of the research and policy in the area between healthy and sustainable diets and net zero. Unpublished progress: Research reviews, scoping interviews to develop the framework of the synthesis sessions. Under review: Submitted paper on conceptual clarity between drivers and embedded systems in food systems literature. Intended audience: researchers and academics. Activity 2, Exploring Food System Resilience: this activity is focused on exploring the current sources of systemic resilience in the food system. Unpublished progress: interviews and initial mapping to explore points of stress by location in food systems. Audience scoping: researchers and community members. Activity 3, Empowering resilience of marginalised communities: this activity is focused on the needs of marginalised communities across the food system. Community engagement: engaging with colleagues in ECI Energy team to explore connections with local communities in relation to cooking-related energy use. Potential Impact: Research magnification across teams and providing potentially more benefit to the communities. Activity 4, Integrating Activities for Delivering Impact: this activity is focused on integrating existing and past activities in the diets and net zero space. Discussion of aligning workshops across Champions to maximise research outputs. Potential Output: report that combines the insights across all Champion activities. Engagement Pan He on potential paper on quantifying health and sustainability of diets. Martin Chadwick on food systems training (in exploration). In the loop for an IIED co-led scoping study on aquatic food systems. In the loop for an GFO co-led scoping study on Oxfordshire's organic food producer focused study.
Impact tbc - more will be included in future reporting as collaboration matures
Start Year 2024
 
Description Champions 2025 - Ali Morpeth 
Organisation Ali Morpeth Nutrition
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Private 
PI Contribution tbc - more will be included in future reporting as collaboration matures
Collaborator Contribution Ali Morpeth is a Registered Public Health Nutritionist (RNutr) working at the intersection of health and sustainability. For the last 15 years, she has worked on policy change that delivers win-win for people and planet. Ali is passionate about the opportunities that arise from drawing the dots between health and sustainability, and believes we can address the failings of the food system faster and smarter by working across these disciplines. She recognises that what we eat, and the way food is produced, is driving interrelated crises - to public health, climate and nature. To truly make a lasting impact on human and planetary health, Ali advocates for bold, comprehensive policy actions that reshape the food system.
Impact tbc - more will be included in future reporting as collaboration matures
Start Year 2024
 
Description Champions 2025 - Ifeyinwa Kanu 
Organisation Intellidigest Limited
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Private 
PI Contribution tbc - more will be included in future reporting as collaboration matures
Collaborator Contribution As the Founder and CEO of IntelliDigest Ltd, Ifeyinwa leads IntelliDigest on a mission to empower food system sustainability through technology innovation and capacity building, thereby delivering access to good food for more people; improving health and restoring the environment. Work includes applying cutting edge technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, Internet of Things, enzyme engineering, green chemistry, and blockchain and quantum computing to make the food system more sustainable by eliminating edible food waste and converting inedible food waste at the earliest possible time to bio-nutrients and sustainable chemicals for the food system.
Impact tbc - more will be included in future reporting as collaboration matures
Start Year 2024
 
Description Champions 2025 - Rounak Nayak 
Organisation University of the West of England
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution tbc - more will be included in future reporting as collaboration matures
Collaborator Contribution Dr Rounaq Nayak is a Senior Lecturer in Sustainable Agri-Food Systems at Bournemouth University and an ESRC Policy Fellow at the Wales Centre for Public Policy. Their expertise centres on involving lived experience to co-create Just Transition interventions that promote social and environmental sustainability in agri-food systems. With a foundation in human factors and systems thinking, they focus on enhancing resilience within food systems, addressing challenges like food insecurity, forced labour, and community engagement in knowledge mobilisation. Dr Nayak's work integrates policy with community involvement to foster transparency, optimise systems, and advance sustainable development goals, making them a dedicated advocate for equitable, community-centred food systems.
Impact tbc - more will be included in future reporting as collaboration matures
Start Year 2025
 
Description Champions 2025 - Zainab Oyetunde-Usman 
Organisation Rothamsted Research
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution tbc - more will be included in future reporting as collaboration matures
Collaborator Contribution Zainab is a Research Social Scientist at Rothamsted Research Net Zero and Resilient Farming Department. She is a trained agricultural economist with experience in applying behavioural approaches to designing and fostering mechanisms to incentivise adoption of net zero innovations. She is involved in interdisciplinary research engagement co-developing pathways to achieving net-zero with stakeholders across the UK agri-food systems. Zainab has over time engaged with the AFN Network+ as an ECR member and a scoping study project lead.
Impact tbc - more will be included in future reporting as collaboration matures
Start Year 2025
 
Description Linking Environment And Farming (LEAF) workshops Stakeholder Flexfund 
Organisation Linking Environment And Farming
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Charity/Non Profit 
PI Contribution Open to members of the Community of Practice, the fund is for any UK based activity that explores, develops and trials solutions to tackle any unsustainable greenhouse gas emitting practices of the agri-food system. This could be at any point: from primary production (agriculture, horticulture and aquaculture) and food processing (food and drink manufacture) to food retail, consumption, and waste management. All activities are based on knowledge exchange and engagement.
Collaborator Contribution This workshop was run by LEAF in collaboration with Newcastle University Farms, delving into how to understand your carbon footprint as a livestock farmer. The event included insights from industry experts on topics such as the main carbon sources on-farm, the pros and cons of different carbon foot printing tools, and strategies to reduce emissions on livestock farms. Key findings: Mindset change is viewed as a key barrier to reaching net zero Reliable, local advice is a priority for farmers The complexity of carbon emissions from agriculture are often under appreciated Key recommendations for future research and activities: On-farm trials and demonstrations Impact of herbal leys on nutrition and performance Identification of farmer typologies and how best to engage different groups The funding was used to run a farmer-focussed workshop. The morning session involved insights and a Q&A session with industry experts on topics such as the main carbon sources on-farm, the pros and cons of different carbon foot printing tools, and strategies to reduce emissions on livestock farms. The afternoon featured a farm tour of Newcastle University Farms, which included visiting mob grazing vs rotational grazing trials, herbal ley plots and methane sensors in the dairy parlour which provide individual data on livestock methane emissions. 21 people registered for the event and 12 attended on the day. These included farmers, local advisors, feed companies, local government representatives and students. The target audience of this workshop was farmers and advisors. We targeted these groups through direct emails and phone calls, including to: LEAF members, Newcastle University Farms Farmer Network, individual emails to farmers, the NFU and inclusion in online newsletters. The event was also promoted on social media. A travel bursary of up to £50 per person was advertised to encourage attendance from people from minority backgrounds. This was used by a post-graduate student who travelled to the event from Edinburgh.
Impact 3) What were the outputs from the project? Please provide links for AFN Network+ to use Did you identify any research questions? LEAF will be writing a newsletter article about the workshop for its next quarterly newsletter, outlining key strategies for reaching net zero on livestock farms, which will be circulated to around 2000 members. The connection with Newcastle University Farms has also led to LEAF producing a case study on how the farm has moved away from bought-in soya in its dairy and pig units, helping to reduce their carbon footprint significantly. This will be published on the LEAF and Nitrogen Climate Smart (NCS) project websites when completed. Research topics identified by attendees: Field trials Livestock nutrition Identify typologies of farmers and touchpoints to engage them Increased regional networks Options for land-use More practical technology Better understanding of manure management Impact of herbal leys in comparison with grass leys and subsequent impacts on livestock performance Depends on the farm type and whether landlord or tenant. Soil is a big point of interest that overlaps with nature and carbon benefits Industry wide clear instructions A universal, simple system for carbon accounting 4) What impact did you achieve? How will this aid progress towards net zero? The attendees of the workshop gave very positive feedback, stating that they felt the day was "very informative" and they would be keen to attend future events of the same nature. Farmers were able to ask the speakers for advice and gained a greater understanding of the complexities of carbon accounting, how it can help their businesses and actions they can take to work towards net zero. The advisors who attended the event will also be able to use the information to influence a larger audience of farmers, helping to extend the impact of the event. The workshop also engaged local policy makers, helping them to understand the challenges and opportunities of working towards net zero within the livestock sector. 5) How will you take this work forward? The feedback on industry challenges will be used to steer the focus of future resources and events e.g. behavioural change was flagged multiple times as a barrier, indicating that LEAF should shape its future work to help facilitate the mindset change needed to help transition towards more sustainable practices. The feedback on forms of support will also be used to influence how we support our membership base. Contacts made at the event will also be useful for future LEAF activities. One farmer who attended is keen to do more educational work on his farm so has been put in touch with our regional LEAF education specialist. Another farmer who attended the event has asked if LEAF could share resources and be a guest speaker for his local cluster group.
Start Year 2024
 
Description 'The undeserving poor': How food system transformation is middle class and why this needs to change Webinar 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact Speaker: Dominic Watters
Chair: Neil Ward

Intended purpose:

To provide useful, engaging, and informative KE for the network each month, structured around key topics/ issues relevant to AFN's 6 research themes
To provide the basis for a number of written briefings on these themes
To build up a publicly-available catalogue of such resources (videos & briefings) for the network and more widely
To raise AFN's profile, grow the network, and forge new contacts and relationships
To make the insights and knowledge of people at the top of their game, including latest research, available to the network
To create more KE opportunities between different actors in the UK agri-food system, particularly between academics/ researchers and food system stakeholders such as farmers, and foster a collaborative and multi-disciplinary approach to net zero in and food system transformation
To provide a structure/focus to KE/research activities that all feed into AFN's end goal
The webinar provided AFN with visibility through an email campaign to the Network+ and more widely on Twitter/X and LinkedIn. The webinar itself provided network members and others with engaging insights from a quality speaker, and sparked debate and KE through a lively Q&A session following the presentation. New members joined the network when signing up for the webinar.
The webinar was uploaded to Youtube where it received further views (counted as part of activity reach), and received further engagement on social media, as well as increasing AFN's visibility.

Accompanying briefing; https://www.agrifood4netzero.net/uploads/1/1/9/5/119571121/why_food_system_transformation_is_middle_class_and_why_that_needs_to_change_-_dominic_watters.pdf
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
URL https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wqpufpERStw&t=8s
 
Description 9 Lessons and Carols for Curious People 2023, Guest Scientist 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact Guest speaker/scientist as 9 Lessons and Carols for Curious People 2023 hosted by Robin Ince for Cosmic Shambles
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
URL https://cosmicshambles.com/ninelessons
 
Description AI - what are the opportunities and risks for reducing emissions in agri-food? Webinar 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Artificial Intelligence (AI) is fast opening up a world of new possibilities in multiple areas - and a lot of questions too. For food and farming, a big question is whether and how it can help us reduce emissions faster, in what is a critical decade for tackling climate change.

Alongside this though, it also raises other issues for discussion, such as; are there risks of using AI in agriculture, and might there be unintended consequences and trade offs? It also begs the question - what needs more attention, resourcing and research to ensure we can make the most of AI while also guarding against any risks and negative outcomes?

We have three speakers to take us on a whistle stop tour of what AI might mean for crop and livestock production. Please come ready with questions and a spirit of open debate - AI is an emerging technology and we may need to raise more questions than we answer.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
URL https://www.agrifood4netzero.net/resources/?_resource_type=webinar
 
Description Agroforestry - an opportunity for sustainable UK food systems? Webinar 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact Speaker: Stephen Briggs
Chair: Neil Ward

To provide useful, engaging, and informative KE for the network each month, structured around key topics/ issues relevant to AFN's 6 research themes
To provide the basis for a number of written briefings on these themes
To build up a publicly-available catalogue of such resources (videos & briefings) for the network and more widely
To raise AFN's profile, grow the network, and forge new contacts and relationships
To make the insights and knowledge of people at the top of their game, including latest research, available to the network
To create more KE opportunities between different actors in the UK agri-food system, particularly between academics/ researchers and food system stakeholders such as farmers, and foster a collaborative and multi-disciplinary approach to net zero in and food system transformation
To provide a structure/focus to KE/research activities that all feed into AFN's end goal
The webinar provided AFN with visibility through an email campaign to the Network+ and more widely on Twitter/X and LinkedIn. The webinar itself provided network members and others with engaging insights from a quality speaker, and sparked debate and KE through a lively Q&A session following the presentation. New members joined the network when signing up for the webinar.
The webinar was uploaded to Youtube where it received further views (counted as part of activity reach), and received further engagement on social media, as well as increasing AFN's visibility.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
URL https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwI_cBn84oI&t=359s
 
Description Aiming for net zero in food & farming - what are the wins and trade-offs? Webinar 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact Speaker: Pete Faloon
Chair: Neil Ward

Intended purpose:

To provide useful, engaging, and informative KE for the network each month, structured around key topics/ issues relevant to AFN's 6 research themes
To provide the basis for a number of written briefings on these themes
To build up a publicly-available catalogue of such resources (videos & briefings) for the network and more widely
To raise AFN's profile, grow the network, and forge new contacts and relationships
To make the insights and knowledge of people at the top of their game, including latest research, available to the network
To create more KE opportunities between different actors in the UK agri-food system, particularly between academics/ researchers and food system stakeholders such as farmers, and foster a collaborative and multi-disciplinary approach to net zero in and food system transformation
To provide a structure/focus to KE/research activities that all feed into AFN's end goal
The webinar provided AFN with visibility through an email campaign to the Network+ and more widely on Twitter/X and LinkedIn. The webinar itself provided network members and others with engaging insights from a quality speaker, and sparked debate and KE through a lively Q&A session following the presentation. New members joined the network when signing up for the webinar.
The webinar was uploaded to Youtube where it received further views (counted as part of activity reach), and received further engagement on social media, as well as increasing AFN's visibility.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
URL https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kk3sDNNeBSs
 
Description An Uncertain World: How Will it Drive Food System (R)evolution? 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact The world is increasingly an uncertain place: climate volatility is interacting with politics to create a more polarised, contested and unequal world, both domestically and internationally. This uncertainty affects the market and regulatory drivers of the UK food system, and how they might enhance, or hold back, a transition to a more sustainable future. How might the food system develop in the decades ahead?
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
URL https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_M_642dLZ8
 
Description Armchair chat and Q&A at the NFU conference 'Food security in a changing world 
Form Of Engagement Activity A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Industry/Business
Results and Impact Discussion around the themes of Food system transformation for food security while in conversation and Q&A chaired by NFU deputy president Tom bradshaw
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
URL https://www.nfuonline.com/updates-and-information/nfu23-food-security-in-a-changing-world/
 
Description Article - British farmers will face greater challenges than Labour's inheritance tax reforms 
Form Of Engagement Activity A magazine, newsletter or online publication
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Media (as a channel to the public)
Results and Impact Article raising awareness of the impact of Labour's proposed inheritance tax reforms on British farmers. It clarifies what the changes entail, details misinformation on potential consequences, and places the issue in the broader context of challenges facing the agricultural sector, such as climate change and sustainability. Written by Neil Ward
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
URL https://theconversation.com/british-farmers-will-face-greater-challenges-than-labours-inheritance-ta...
 
Description Article - The UK must make big changes to its diets, farming and land use to hit net zero - official climate advisers 
Form Of Engagement Activity A magazine, newsletter or online publication
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Media (as a channel to the public)
Results and Impact Article raising awareness of the need for behaviour change in the UK in a reduction of the consumption of meat, and impact to food supply chain and agriculture through reduction of livestock.
Intended purpose: Raising awareness, profiling academic discussion in public consciousness
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2025
URL https://theconversation.com/the-uk-must-make-big-changes-to-its-diets-farming-and-land-use-to-hit-ne...
 
Description Article - The UK must make big changes to its diets, farming and land use to hit net zero - official climate advisers 
Form Of Engagement Activity A magazine, newsletter or online publication
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Media (as a channel to the public)
Results and Impact Article raising awareness of the underestimation of methane emission from dairy farms, it presents research conveying previous estimate as too low and talks on the need for improved measurement. It also suggests potential solutions, to some indirect influence to industry practice. Written by Neil Ward
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
URL https://theconversation.com/methane-emissions-from-dairy-farms-higher-than-previously-thought-new-st...
 
Description BBC Radio 4 programme Inside Science 
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 Public/other audiences
Results and Impact BBC Radio 4 programme Inside Science episode coming out shortly after Christmas with an overarching theme of food - linked to Christmas meals many of our listeners will have had in the days prior - approaching it from a variety of scientific angles, like how our genetics influence what food we like, the environmental impact of certain foods and more with a panel of experts.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
URL https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b036f7w2
 
Description BBC Radio 4 recording of pilot for Radio 4 in preparation of a new programme for 2024. 
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 Industry/Business
Results and Impact Recording of a pilot for a new environmental radio programme, which is being launched next year, presented by environmental journalist, Tom Heap and physicist, Helen Czerski, for BBC internal use in preparation for the programme. The subject of the pilot programme will be food and the environment - looking at how to feed a growing world population while minimising the impact on the environment.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
 
Description Big Tent 2023 
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 The Big Tent event took place in Leeds over two days in April. Around 80 people attended, of which three-quarters were academics and a quarter were from stakeholder organisations. The Big Tent agenda was carefully planned to ensure sufficient time for networking, with good use of meal and coffee breaks. There were numerous opportunities for interaction, feedback and input into shaping the network from the Community of Practice (CoP). The agenda included keynote presentations from Daniel Zeichner MP, the Shadow Minister for Food and Farming, and Anthea Stephenson, Founder of Willow. Daniel Zeicher's address to the meeting was videoed and is available on the Network's YouTube channel.
Tim Benton led a plenary session on the Network's four scenarios for plausible futures which were developed between February and April (see WP2 section below). Breakout sessions reflected on these scenarios and their implications for research priorities before a final plenary helped capture the overarching insights of the Big Tent discussions. The outputs from the Big Tent fed into our approach to the call for Scoping Studies (WP3) which was launched in June. Feedback on the event was broadly positive, but flagged the balance between academic and non-academic participants. All respondents found the event useful and reported they would look to continue to engage with the Network.

Feedback from Early Career Researchers:
"IT WAS GREAT TO FEEL THAT MY CONTRIBUTIONS WERE PART OF A BIGGER AND COHESIVE WHOLE. AN ABSOLUTELY INSPIRING AND ENERGISING EVENT THAT DEMONSTRATED THE BENEFIT OF FACE TO FACE INTERACTIVE SESSIONS AND A FLAT AND INCLUSIVE GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE IN LARGE NETWORK PROGRAMS."
Dr Saher Hasnain, Researcher at the Food Systems Transformation Programme, University of Oxford's Environmental Change Institute
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
URL https://www.agrifood4netzero.net/big-tent-2023.html
 
Description Big Tent 2024 
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 The AFN Network+'s second 'Big Tent' event took place in Sheffield on March 13th and 14th 2024. Over 140 people from across the Network attended the conference, 54% academics, 46% from industry/other related fields. The annual meeting was a brilliant opportunity for participants to hear from and engage with others working for change in the UK agri-food system. Participants worked on translating our priorities for research and policy into funding themes for the 2024 round of scoping studies, building on our Research and Policy Priorities Report published in March, as well as discussing the main ways that AFN Network+ activities can support members in advancing change over the next 18 months.
The programme was designed around inclusivity and involvement, to maximise opportunities for networking, with a mix of panel sessions, breakout discussions and fantastic keynote speeches including Sue Pritchard, Chief Executive of The Food, Farming, and Countryside Commission (FFCC), Judith Batchelar, Director of Food Matters International, former director at Sainsbury's, and Deputy Chair of the Environment Agency and Navaratnam Partheeban, co-founder of the British Veterinary Ethnicity and Diversity Society (BVEDS).
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
URL https://www.agrifood4netzero.net/events/big-tent-2024/
 
Description Breaking out of business-as-usual - alternative paths towards net zero in UK agri-food Webinar 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact Chair: Tom Macmillan
Speaker: Neil Ward

Intended purpose:

To provide useful, engaging, and informative KE for the network each month, structured around key topics/ issues relevant to AFN's 6 research themes
To provide the basis for a number of written briefings on these themes
To build up a publicly-available catalogue of such resources (videos & briefings) for the network and more widely
To raise AFN's profile, grow the network, and forge new contacts and relationships
To make the insights and knowledge of people at the top of their game, including latest research, available to the network
To create more KE opportunities between different actors in the UK agri-food system, particularly between academics/ researchers and food system stakeholders such as farmers, and foster a collaborative and multi-disciplinary approach to net zero in and food system transformation
To provide a structure/focus to KE/research activities that all feed into AFN's end goal
The webinar provided AFN with visibility through an email campaign to the Network+ and more widely on Twitter/X and LinkedIn. The webinar itself provided network members and others with engaging insights from a quality speaker, and sparked debate and KE through a lively Q&A session following the presentation. New members joined the network when signing up for the webinar.
The webinar was uploaded to Youtube where it received further views (counted as part of activity reach), and received further engagement on social media, as well as increasing AFN's visibility.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
URL https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WEAbI6TbcZI&t=9s
 
Description COP 28 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Industry/Business
Results and Impact Attendance of Co-Lead to COP 28 in order to influence and negotiate on topics related to the climate and Food with a range of governments at a diplomatic level.
Tim Benton works closely with central government departments and with governments internationally on net zero and agri-food. This includes extensive briefings in preparation for and during the COP27 meeting at Sharm el-Sheikh in November 2022 and in the run-up to COP28 in Dubai. There has been considerable interest at senior levels in the scenarios we have produced and we anticipate organisations will be interested to make use of the scenarios in their work. He also gave a keynote at the NFU Conference in Birmingham on the future of food systems and UK farming, and regularly presents to agricultural groups on this topic.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
 
Description Cambridge Global Food Security webinar 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Guest panelist at webinar as part of GFS series. Panel included Professor Bridle and Emma Garnett (Oxford), Matthew Agarwala, and Harro van Hasselt (both Cambridge). Topic How low can you go? Can our diets ever be carbon neutral? Organised by Cambridge Global Food Security, an interdisciplinary research centre at the University of Cambridge.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
URL https://www.globalfood.cam.ac.uk/events/how-low-can-you-go-can-food-production-reach-net-zero
 
Description Carbon footprint of gardening slashed after breakthrough in fertiliser emissions 
Form Of Engagement Activity A magazine, newsletter or online publication
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact Sarah Bridled was quoted in the inews article
"This is very exciting because the Haber Bosch process is a significant source of greenhouse gases through its use of fossil fuels," Sarah Bridle, professor of food, climate and society at York University, who was not involved in the research, told i.

"The new method is more environmentally friendly than current fertilisers, cheaper and could help to ensure that fewer people go hungry in the future," she said.

"Fertilisers contribute to climate change for two reasons - through their production and because they interact with microbes in the soil to produce nitrous oxide. These two contributions are roughly equal, so if the energy use of the new method is small, it could roughly halve the climate impact of fertilisers," she said.

with the purpose of extending the reach of the network
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
 
Description Carbon markets - a sequestration v food dilemma, or a big opportunity? Webinar 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact Speakers: Emily Norton, Jake Freestone
Chair: Neil Ward

Intended purpose:

To provide useful, engaging, and informative KE for the network each month, structured around key topics/ issues relevant to AFN's 6 research themes
To provide the basis for a number of written briefings on these themes
To build up a publicly-available catalogue of such resources (videos & briefings) for the network and more widely
To raise AFN's profile, grow the network, and forge new contacts and relationships
To make the insights and knowledge of people at the top of their game, including latest research, available to the network
To create more KE opportunities between different actors in the UK agri-food system, particularly between academics/ researchers and food system stakeholders such as farmers, and foster a collaborative and multi-disciplinary approach to net zero in and food system transformation
To provide a structure/focus to KE/research activities that all feed into AFN's end goal
The webinar provided AFN with visibility through an email campaign to the Network+ and more widely on Twitter/X and LinkedIn. The webinar itself provided network members and others with engaging insights from a quality speaker, and sparked debate and KE through a lively Q&A session following the presentation. New members joined the network when signing up for the webinar.
The webinar was uploaded to Youtube where it received further views (counted as part of activity reach), and received further engagement on social media, as well as increasing AFN's visibility.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
URL https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLWkN21fBb8&t=14s
 
Description Celebrating Black British Farming - Online workshop 
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 The Black Farmers Market was created as a restorative space in celebration of the cultural and historical communal atmosphere of Brixton. It supports local growers and new businesses, to reach new customers and audiences, and to work with experienced traders and business experts to achieve success.

At this online event the founders of the Black Farmers Market, Aisha Jade and Natasha Pencil, Paulette Henry, founder of The growing collective, Black Rootz , and the Kenyan Pig Farmer Flavian Obeiro talked through their experiences starting and being part of the market. The purpose of the event was to create a warm and open environment for discussion around the topic of diversity. Themes: Perception of Black community and farming, Celebration of diversity, Culinary traditions

We talked about the genesis of the Black farmers market and how it's stands as a touchstone for the community of growers, makers, and customers, and especially for those who experience ethnic diversity and black heritage. We also had a deep dive into the Black rootz collective, what they're about, and the importance of what they do in bringing the joy, rebuilding cultures and passing on the knowledge of growing food to those who may not have been given the space. Natasha talked about traders who have interacted with the market who then have the confidence to go further in their personal and career journeys.

From the Farmers' perspective we looked at what an event like the Bblack farmers market means to the community, ; the opportunities not only to sell produce, but to build a community around growing and food. We also talked about the need for inclusion and presence of those who hold black heritage across farming and the wider food systems.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
URL https://www.agrifood4netzero.net/news/event-celebrating-black-british-farming
 
Description Centre for Advanced Technology, Wales 
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 Guest speaker on approaches to food systems transformation from a theoretical perspective. Prof. Bridle provided an example of real research/policy initiatives. And as many of the attendees took part in a Three Horizons exercise as part of their core introductory module - Prof. Bridle able to address an application of this in practice and applied to food.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
URL https://cat.org.uk/
 
Description Centre for Food Policy, City University of London webinar 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Professor Bridle convened significant players in the food, climate and education spaces to address pedagogic and entertaining ways of making food and climate change significant features of school curricula.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
 
Description Changemaker podcast series: Angelina Sanderson-Bellamy 
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 Undergraduate students
Results and Impact Raising awareness about food systems and inspiring early careers, and ethnically diverse students to partake in the AgriFood system
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
URL https://soundcloud.com/uwebristol/changemaker-podcast-series-angelina-sanderson-bellamy
 
Description Chris Stark: What I've learnt about climate policy and agri-food webinar 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact In this webinar we'll be doing a deep dive into Chris Stark's insights, frustrations and reflections as the country's leading climate change policy expert. Chris is one of the most well-known figures in climate policy, and was until recently one of the most senior independent officials working on the issue, as chief executive of the UK's Climate Change Committee. In this role, he led independent advice on the UK's net zero target, the world's first net zero target to be legislated, and directed the development of detailed pathways for the UK to reach carbon neutrality by 2050. For the agri-food sector, this included the report Land Use: Policies for a Net Zero UK. He is now continuing his work as chief executive of the Carbon Trust, a global climate consultancy working to accelerate the move to a decarbonised future.

Rather than our usual format of a presentation, we'll be getting to the heart of things through conversation and questions. This will be followed by the normal audience Q&A.

We will aim to cover;

Where we are now, and how to drive change fast
Will change in diets really save the day?
Farming and land use - why is change so difficult?
Chris' time at the CCC - what are the political blockers and enablers to policy change?
Ideas for the new government
281 attendees
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
URL https://www.agrifood4netzero.net/resources/?_resource_type=webinar
 
Description Christ's College Climate Seminars, Climate Seminar 3: Practical climate politics for the 2020s - Land use, biodiversity and food. 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Postgraduate students
Results and Impact A Co-lead led a discussion and gave a presentation to some professional practitioners and postgraduate students on Climate politics
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
URL https://www.csap.cam.ac.uk/events/climate-seminar-3-land-use-biodiversity-food/
 
Description Co-design workshop for menu swaps project with Bradford Council 
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 This was the first menu swap workshop in Bradford, having used Fix our Food data to estimate the most commonly consumed foods and their COe. To start the process of considering alternatives to menus and approaches in schools Prof Bridle was invited to help people consider alternatives, dispelling myths about climate impact of foods.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
 
Description Co-production: bringing people together to bridge the food gap | Sustain (sustainweb.org) 
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 Public/other audiences
Results and Impact Dr Angelina Sanderson Bellamy talks to Bridging the Gap's Programme Officer Kiloran O'Leary about her work, the value of co-production and how it will be used in Bridging the Gap.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
URL https://www.sustainweb.org/blogs/apr23-bridging-the-gap-coproduction-angelina-sanderson-bellamy/
 
Description Community-Supported Agriculture in Wales: Caring for the Land and the People 
Form Of Engagement Activity Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact Dr Angelina Sanderson Bellamy explains how community-supported agriculture can contribute to resilient communities in Wales.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
URL https://www.iwa.wales/agenda/2022/11/community-supported-agriculture-in-wales-caring-for-the-land-an...
 
Description Crucible 2024 
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 Highlights:
102 registered attendees
26 coming as part of a team
45% attendees identify as ECRs
58% HEIs, 18% Industry, 5% Agri
Mix of interests covering all Research Priorities
16 project ideas were developed during the event
3 of the awarded projects cited the ideas as having arisen from the Crucible
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
 
Description DEFRA Strategy Unit Away Day 
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 Guest speaker for Defra Strategy and Delivery Units desiring highly interactive speaker session for their Awayday. Attendees have roles focussed on delivering the Secretary of State's priorities and creating both forward looking strategy and strategic coherence.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
 
Description Defra Agrifood Directorate Awayday 
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 Prof Bridle invited to participate in session aimed to look at the food system afresh, to consider how we can deliver the new government's priorities, and what Prof Bridle sees as the challenges and opportunities for the food system in the future.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
 
Description Defra Roundtable of Research and Innovation for Climate Change Adaptation, Royal Society 
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 Expert workshop at the Royal Society on net zero and agri-food for Defra
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022
 
Description Defra UK Food Security Review - Expert Elicitation 
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 Professor Bridle invited byDefra Food Security Policy and Defra Systems Research Programme, to partipate in this expert elicitation to examine future risks to UK food security. The workshop convened a group of 10-12 experts with expertise across the whole food system.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
 
Description Discussion of collaborative possibilities with WRAP -The Waste and Resources Action Programme (a Climate Action NGO) 
Form Of Engagement Activity A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Exploration of potential collaborative work with Catherine David, Director Behaviour Change and Business Programmes for climate action NGO WRAP (The Waste and Resources Action Programme)
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
 
Description EA Sustain Festival 
Form Of Engagement Activity A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact Neil spoke at the EA Sustain Festival in Colchester on 13th January.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
 
Description EA Sustain Festival, Colchester 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact Sustainability festival, held in Colchester. Neil Ward participated in a session with the Sustainable Food Trust
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
 
Description Early Careers Board Year 2 
Form Of Engagement Activity A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact We have established the second year of the early careers board, with the induction complete and the process for selecting the board chair underway. The board chair will be responsible for providing a vision for the year, and following selection there will be a period of design in the year of activity for the ECRs. After feedback from the first year, we have ring fenced some funding to give the ECRs dedicated time to design and run ECR specific events. The ECRs have met the champions in February following which there will be a pairing and mentoring scheme similar to last year.
Related to this is the requirement for support in the delivery of a robust offering to the ECR Board members, and this has been through supporting the logistics of an in-person Early Careers Showcase event. The theme of the event was how to relate to people inside and outside of your field, which was chosen by the ECR board in line with the strategy around inclusivity. The event was co-designed by some of the ECR board, the board chair and members of the LUNZ hub EC board, with support from the Scottish Regional Lead for the LUNZ hub project as well as the Principal investigator of the AFN+. We also co-designed a series of workshops with practitioners who included representatives from The real farming trust, the Carbon technology research foundation, Feeding Bristol and Grow Wilder with expertise ranging from urban community driven interest, to rural affairs and philanthropy and funding. This ensuring a truly community driven, and EC interest event. The event design went beyond the scoped stakeholder base through the inclusion of the wider Early Careers (EC) demographic. As such we supported ECs from multiple sectors with about 41 attendees of which around a third where from industry, government and the third sector. Moreover there was a strong interdisciplinary presence with multiple vocations and skillsets supported at this event. At this time formal feedback is pending, however some attendees posted on linkedIn positive feedback in support of the event.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
 
Description Early Careers Researchers 2023 
Form Of Engagement Activity A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Early Careers Researchers
A Board of Early Career Researchers (ECRs) working in agri-food system research was established. An open recruitment process resulted in 22 applications and all applicants were appointed to the Board. ECR Board members are invited to Network drop-in events and there has been a good representation of ECRs at other Network events. ECR Board members have also co-organised sessions with other major initiatives such as the BBSRC's Transforming the UK Food System Programme (on the steps to becoming a PI). We took measures to ensure sufficient engagement from ECRs in bidding for Network funds (see WP3) and always consider ECR representation when convening events (e.g. their costs are covered at 100% compared to 80% for other participants).
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
URL https://www.agrifood4netzero.net/ecr-board.html
 
Description Early Careers Researchers 2024 
Form Of Engagement Activity A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact We have established the second year of the early careers board, with the induction complete and the process for selecting the board chair underway. The board chair will be responsible for providing a vision for the year, and following selection there will be a period of design in the year of activity for the ECRs. After feedback from the first year, we have ring fenced some funding to give the ECRs dedicated time to design and run ECR specific events. The ECRs have met the champions in February following which there will be a pairing and mentoring scheme similar to last year.

Revised funding arrangements have been introduced for ECR Board members with each member receiving a £2k grant to support engagement with events outside the Network and to give some autonomy in instances where their institution may not be in a position to support this. The Chair of the Board receives an additional £4k grant, to ensure sufficient time is devoted to the Board, Network and to organise ECR-specific events.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
URL https://www.agrifood4netzero.net/ecr-board.html
 
Description Farmers Weekly Q&A 
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 Attendance at a Monthly Farmers Question time event
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
URL https://www.fwi.co.uk/sp/questiontime/jic-20-04-2023
 
Description Five ways to make your summer barbecue better for the environment 
Form Of Engagement Activity A magazine, newsletter or online publication
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact Sarah Bridle authored an article in a series with the following purpose
This article is part of Quarter Life, a series about issues affecting those of us in our twenties and thirties. From the challenges of beginning a career and taking care of our mental health, to the excitement of starting a family, adopting a pet or just making friends as an adult. The articles in this series explore the questions and bring answers as we navigate this turbulent period of life._
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
URL https://theconversation.com/five-ways-to-make-your-summer-barbecue-better-for-the-environment-206239
 
Description Food Security in Wales 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Food Security in Wales

Wednesday 21st September 2022
With Public Health Network Cymru

The whole population is affected by food security to some degree but vulnerable population groups will be particularly negatively affected, especially in the coming months. Food security has been defined as being "When all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life" (FAO, 1996).

A report published by Public Health Wales highlights how the combined influences of Brexit, Coronavirus and climate change will potentially impact all of us through the food that we are able to buy.

This webinar provided a background to the current Welsh and UK legislative and policy context in relation to food security and the impact that food security has on the health and wellbeing of the population. The webinar also shared how local food partnerships are mobilising community food leaders and advocating for better access to affordable, healthy and sustainable food.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022
URL https://publichealthnetwork.cymru/event/food-security-in-wales/
 
Description Food Security: A look at the here and now 
Form Of Engagement Activity A magazine, newsletter or online publication
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Industry/Business
Results and Impact Bethan Grylls investigates the instability of the UK's food system, where the responsibility lies to incite change, and the debate of food price vs production price in this in-depth article, interviewed Tim Benton on the aforementioned.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
URL https://www.foodmanufacture.co.uk/Article/2023/02/14/The-key-drivers-of-food-insecurity-and-how-it-s...
 
Description Food in the Communities Conference 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Third sector organisations
Results and Impact Presented the Accessible Veg Pilot project activity at the conference and project results. There was high interest among the audience, with many questions and several members of the audience following up with me afterwards. One follow up has resulted in an additional consultancy project.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022
URL https://www.foodsensewales.org.uk/good-food-movement/food-in-communities-conference-2022/
 
Description Food security under pressure: UK fruit & veg in an era of climate change (Part 1 - veg & salad crops) Webinar 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact Speaker: Lee Stiles
Chair: Jez Fredenburgh

Intended purpose:

To provide useful, engaging, and informative KE for the network each month, structured around key topics/ issues relevant to AFN's 6 research themes
To provide the basis for a number of written briefings on these themes
To build up a publicly-available catalogue of such resources (videos & briefings) for the network and more widely
To raise AFN's profile, grow the network, and forge new contacts and relationships
To make the insights and knowledge of people at the top of their game, including latest research, available to the network
To create more KE opportunities between different actors in the UK agri-food system, particularly between academics/ researchers and food system stakeholders such as farmers, and foster a collaborative and multi-disciplinary approach to net zero in and food system transformation
To provide a structure/focus to KE/research activities that all feed into AFN's end goal
The webinar provided AFN with visibility through an email campaign to the Network+ and more widely on Twitter/X and LinkedIn. The webinar itself provided network members and others with engaging insights from a quality speaker, and sparked debate and KE through a lively Q&A session following the presentation. New members joined the network when signing up for the webinar.
The webinar was uploaded to Youtube where it received further views (counted as part of activity reach), and received further engagement on social media, as well as increasing AFN's visibility.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
URL https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a7tCiQ5zLrc
 
Description Food security under pressure: UK fruit & veg in an era of climate change (Part 2 - fruit) Webinar 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact Speaker: Ali Capper
Chair: Jez Fredenburgh

Intended purpose:

To provide useful, engaging, and informative KE for the network each month, structured around key topics/ issues relevant to AFN's 6 research themes
To provide the basis for a number of written briefings on these themes
To build up a publicly-available catalogue of such resources (videos & briefings) for the network and more widely
To raise AFN's profile, grow the network, and forge new contacts and relationships
To make the insights and knowledge of people at the top of their game, including latest research, available to the network
To create more KE opportunities between different actors in the UK agri-food system, particularly between academics/ researchers and food system stakeholders such as farmers, and foster a collaborative and multi-disciplinary approach to net zero in and food system transformation
To provide a structure/focus to KE/research activities that all feed into AFN's end goal
The webinar provided AFN with visibility through an email campaign to the Network+ and more widely on Twitter/X and LinkedIn. The webinar itself provided network members and others with engaging insights from a quality speaker, and sparked debate and KE through a lively Q&A session following the presentation. New members joined the network when signing up for the webinar.
The webinar was uploaded to Youtube where it received further views (counted as part of activity reach), and received further engagement on social media, as well as increasing AFN's visibility.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
URL https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dtAxTDko7ZU
 
Description Future of the food system debate 
Form Of Engagement Activity A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact The knowledge exchange fellow chaired a panel
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
 
Description GO Science (The Government Office for Science) Roundtable meeting 
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 Expert roundtable - by invitation - on the use of technology to maintain food supply in the UK in scenarios where global agricultural production has been severely affected due to severe ecosystem degradation or collapse.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2025
URL https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/government-office-for-science
 
Description Government for an agri-food revolution - lessons from Whitehall Webinar 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact Speaker: Jill Rutter
Chair: Neil Ward

Intended purpose:

To provide useful, engaging, and informative KE for the network each month, structured around key topics/ issues relevant to AFN's 6 research themes
To provide the basis for a number of written briefings on these themes
To build up a publicly-available catalogue of such resources (videos & briefings) for the network and more widely
To raise AFN's profile, grow the network, and forge new contacts and relationships
To make the insights and knowledge of people at the top of their game, including latest research, available to the network
To create more KE opportunities between different actors in the UK agri-food system, particularly between academics/ researchers and food system stakeholders such as farmers, and foster a collaborative and multi-disciplinary approach to net zero in and food system transformation
To provide a structure/focus to KE/research activities that all feed into AFN's end goal
The webinar provided AFN with visibility through an email campaign to the Network+ and more widely on Twitter/X and LinkedIn. The webinar itself provided network members and others with engaging insights from a quality speaker, and sparked debate and KE through a lively Q&A session following the presentation. New members joined the network when signing up for the webinar.
The webinar was uploaded to Youtube where it received further views (counted as part of activity reach), and received further engagement on social media, as well as increasing AFN's visibility.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
URL https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJ8gavnQ3qA&t=2s
 
Description Groundswell 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact Groundswell was attended by three team members. Total attendance at Groundswell was some 6,000 participants and the focus of the festival is on regenerative farming. The AFN Network will seek to organise a dedicated session at the June 2024 festival and is considering paying for a stand. An indicative list of other events attended by Executive Team members is set out below:
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
 
Description Health inequalities in the food system 
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 Held to encourage networking among AFN members and others considering an application to this UKRI call.
The hour-long event opened with an introduction to the call from UKRI, then most of the time was spent in breakout rooms getting to know each other and discussing the various themes of the call.
Each delegate had a presentation slide, pre-populated with the information they had submitted, and which they could then edit as the event progressed, and afterwards.
In total 75 people registered for the event, and shared their details, and 35 people joined the call
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
 
Description How to save the planet & our health through food Webinar 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact Speaker: Henry Dimbleby
Chair: Neil Ward


H?enry Dimbleby, author of the UK government's National Food Strategy has written a book - 'Ravenous - how to get ourselves and our planet into shape'. This is Henry's no-holds-barred take on what we need to do to save the planet and our health through food. Henry will be diving into this with Prof Neil Ward, co-lead of the AFN Network+ and professor at the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change at UEA.

Henry covers:
- The politics and sensitivities of 'nanny state' intervention
- What he's learnt from citizen assemblies, on how people feel about government intervention in what they eat
- Dietary change - policy levers and the need for systemic change
- Agricultural policy - how farmers need to be asked to do more, but supported more too

Intended purpose:

To provide useful, engaging, and informative KE for the network each month, structured around key topics/ issues relevant to AFN's 6 research themes
To provide the basis for a number of written briefings on these themes
To build up a publicly-available catalogue of such resources (videos & briefings) for the network and more widely
To raise AFN's profile, grow the network, and forge new contacts and relationships
To make the insights and knowledge of people at the top of their game, including latest research, available to the network
To create more KE opportunities between different actors in the UK agri-food system, particularly between academics/ researchers and food system stakeholders such as farmers, and foster a collaborative and multi-disciplinary approach to net zero in and food system transformation
To provide a structure/focus to KE/research activities that all feed into AFN's end goal
The webinar provided AFN with visibility through an email campaign to the Network+ and more widely on Twitter/X and LinkedIn. The webinar itself provided network members and others with engaging insights from a quality speaker, and sparked debate and KE through a lively Q&A session following the presentation. New members joined the network when signing up for the webinar.
The webinar was uploaded to Youtube where it received further views (counted as part of activity reach), and received further engagement on social media, as well as increasing AFN's visibility.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
URL https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qAu3VpDdr3o&t=5s
 
Description Imagine5 interview 
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 Public/other audiences
Results and Impact "Interviewed guest for Imagine5, a sustainability foundation with global reach that publishes stories about people and organisations doing positive, constructive things for the world and environment.
To feature Professor Bridle, their book and work around food and climate change for Imagine5's High 5 series in which they feature people driving meaningful change, working on innovative solutions or educating and inspiring others to take positive action for the climate. In sharing these stories, Imagine5 celebrates the ways people are making a difference, and believe these stories can inspire others to take action too."
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
URL https://imagine5.com/articles/think-eco-friendly-eating-means-giving-up-what-you-love-think-again/
 
Description Inheritance tax changes - what do they mean for farming & net zero? webinar 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact One story has dominated the media since the Chancellor's Budget: The decision to reduce Agricultural Property Relief for farming businesses. Many farmers have been very vocal about the potential impact of this, and there is a lot of fear that it will lead to the break up (and break down) of family farms. Others though, say the hype is overblown and it will only impact the very richest.

This all comes at a time of huge change for farming, not least the phasing out of traditional area based support payments, and the transition to more nature-friendly farming practices. On top of this is the very real urgency to reduce emissions, while also ensuring food security in an increasingly tense world.

So what could the impact be on farming and its ability to weather the changes ahead and lead the transition to a more sustainable food system? How might the changes affect farmers' ability to reduce emissions or enter into natural capital markets and contracts? What are the many nuances at play, including culture, emotional ties, wealth and business viability?

Our two speakers will explore this for us and try to make sense of things. They are; Emily Norton, our AFN Network+ Policy Champion for Land, Agriculture and Carbon, and Jason Beedell, head of rural research at Strutt & Parker, one of the UK's largest land agents.

The webinar will be chaired by Jez Fredenburgh, Knowledge Exchange Fellow at the AFN Network+, with input from Prof Neil Ward, AFN co-lead. Both are based in the Environment Department at the University of East Anglia.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
URL https://www.agrifood4netzero.net/resources/?_resource_type=webinar
 
Description Institute of Welsh Affairs Blog 
Form Of Engagement Activity Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Hope you are well. As you know WWF Cymru is continuing to work on food system in Wales which includes a focus on influencing the SFS and Agri Bill to create a system in Wales that support sustainable food production that is accessible to new entrants, variety in production recognised / valued and supports wider community outcomes (and of course env outcomes!)



As part of our influencing we see the gap in the narrative on these issues with discussions in politcial / public debate that tend to be dominated by existing farming models amplifying voices associated historically with farming unions and their members.



We have therefore set an aim to produce and / or give a platform to a series of blogs / think pieces from October to December which provide alternative visons for future of food and framing in Wales.



Your recent research and write up was shared with me by Shea

https://tgrains.com/accessible-veg-pilot-project/





We have secured a slot on IWA platform to talk about the importance of CSA so we are looking for people who would like to take up this space. Ideally talking about the value of CSA and also start to explore how this alternative ownership model identifies the blockages in the current system which are making things harder and should be changed in the new SFS scheme. What you think is needed in SFS, Agri Bill, and / or community food strategy or Food Bill to enable this.



Also open people up to issues about fairness to access to land and the equality and diversity narrative we want to build in this debate as it often seems missing i.e that there is more to rural Wales than the type of farmer the unions represent and access to land must consider equality and diversity. As well as the output / outcomes from that land shared.

If you are interested in taking this slot / opportunity with IWA please let me know. We would support you if need it and the deadline for copy is 20th October.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022
URL https://www.iwa.wales/agenda/2022/11/community-supported-agriculture-in-wales-caring-for-the-land-an...
 
Description International Fugitive Emissions Abatement Association workshop on methane from agriculture, Bristol 
Form Of Engagement Activity A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Industry/Business
Results and Impact Presentation and participation in a workshop on methane emissions with industry representatives
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022
 
Description International Fugitive Emissions Abatement Association workshop on methane from agriculture, London 
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 Attendance and participation of one of the Co-Leads and Knowledge exchange fellow in the workshop International Fugitive Emissions Abatement Association workshop on methane from agriculture
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
 
Description It altered my entire worldview': leading authors pick eight nonfiction books to change your mind 
Form Of Engagement Activity A magazine, newsletter or online publication
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact Sarah Bridle's book Food and Climate Change Without the Hot Air included by Marcus du Sautoy
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
URL https://www.theguardian.com/books/2023/jan/07/it-altered-my-entire-worldview-leading-authors-pick-ei...
 
Description Key note speaker for Vale Food Local Food Partnership Conference 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Local
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact I gave a key note talk, using the AFN Scenario work as part of an exercise to set the scene for the conference activities. I developed some new collaborations and also helped to connect participants up with other colleagues, which has led to new projects.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
URL https://foodvale.org/
 
Description LUNZ Hub launch meeting, Leicester 
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 The PI, two co-Leads and project manager participated and presented in the LUNZ hub launch event, which laid the foundation towards the embedding of EDI principals within the Hub, and the maintenance of synergies between the two endeavours
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
 
Description Labour Shadow Defra Team workshop, University of York 
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 One of the Co-Leads engaged with the Labour shadow DEFRA team to lend their expertise around the subject of AgriFood
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
 
Description Labour's first 100 days in office - what has the government done/ not done on food, farming, health & climate? Webinar 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Labour is back in power, but with a brimming intray for matters related to food, farming, climate and health: There's Defra's missing net zero plan; farmer confidence at rock-bottom; fruit and veg growers leaving the sector; increasing health inequalities, and the NHS in 'serious trouble'. All of this while facing a more unstable world politically and climatically, and what looks like very big budget cuts domestically. Yet food and farming do not feature as one of Starmer's five key 'missions', so where does that leave it?

One hundred days into Labour being in office, we will examine what the new government has done so far, and look for evidence about where things might be heading. Our two speakers spend their time trying to understand the workings of policy in food and farming and will help us delve into this topic.

They are; Hannah Brinsden, head of food policy and advocacy at The Food Foundation, and Andrew Meredith, editor of Farmers Weekly. The webinar will be chaired by Jez Fredenburgh, Knowledge Exchange Fellow at the AFN Network+.
177 attendees
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
URL https://www.agrifood4netzero.net/resources/?_resource_type=webinar
 
Description Land strategy, food & net zero Webinar 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact Summary of event:
Online webinar:
Speaker: Dustin Benton
Chair: Neil Ward
The UK government has committed to delivering net zero by 2050 - but how on track are we and what needs to change in UK food and farming? Dustin Benton, policy director at Green Alliance, talks us through Chris Skidmore's independent review of government net zero plans, and puts forward his own solutions from the Alliance's latest report 'Shaping UK land use: priorities for food, nature and climate'.

Intended Purpose
- To provide useful, engaging, and informative KE for the network each month, structured around key topics/ issues relevant to AFN's 6 research themes
- To provide the basis for a number of written briefings on these themes
- To build up a publicly-available catalogue of such resources (videos & briefings) for the network and more widely
- To raise AFN's profile, grow the network, and forge new contacts and relationships
- To make the insights and knowledge of people at the top of their game, including latest research, available to the network
- To create more KE opportunities between different actors in the UK agri-food system, particularly between academics/ researchers and food system stakeholders such as farmers, and foster a collaborative and multi-disciplinary approach to net zero in and food system transformation
- To provide a structure/focus to KE/research activities that all feed into AFN's end goal
The webinar provided AFN with visibility through an email campaign to the Network+ and more widely on Twitter/X and LinkedIn. The webinar itself provided network members and others with engaging insights from a quality speaker, and sparked debate and KE through a lively Q&A session following the presentation. New members joined the network when signing up for the webinar.
The webinar was uploaded to Youtube where it received further views (counted as part of activity reach), and received further engagement on social media, as well as increasing AFN's visibility.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
URL https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zx5OONCV1o0
 
Description LinkedIn Page 
Form Of Engagement Activity Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact The purpose of the LinkedIn page is to provide a presence for the project on a professional networking site, and diversify the channels in which potential network members can keep up to date and discover the network. It's also to drive information about activities, news and events out beyond our current network and support engagement and membership growth.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022,2023
URL https://uk.linkedin.com/company/agrifood4netzero
 
Description Manchester Literature Festival 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact In conversation with George Monbiot. Evening event as part of the festival.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
URL https://www.manchesterliteraturefestival.co.uk/events/george-monbiot-in-conversation-with-sarah-brid...
 
Description Meeting with Shadow Defra Team 
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 Meeting with Shadow Defra Team involving discussions around AgriFood
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
 
Description Met Office & Defra Workshop on climate change adaptation and the agri-food system, Bristol 
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 The PI and 3 Co-Leads attended the workshop.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
 
Description Met Office & Defra Workshop on climate change adaptation and the agri-food system, Bristol 
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 Workshop for Defra, organised by the Met Office, on climate change adaptation and land
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
 
Description Met Office & Defra Workshop on climate change adaptation and the agri-food system, Bristol 
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 Workshop, supported by Defra, focused on:
Improving mutual understanding of the adaptation and resilience options of the UK agri-food system;
Identifying research gaps and potential synergies, developing partnerships; and
Understanding the potential for future collaboration between key stakeholders in the agri-foods and climate research sectors.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
 
Description Met Office Climate Change Webinar 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact In the lead up to COP27, the Met Office hosted a series of webinars on key topics

Ahead of the UN Climate Conference, COP27, held in Egypt in 2022, the Met Office identified some priority themes relevant to the event. Three of these were used to develop a webinar series to provide the latest science and policy information on the themes and invite discussion with interested parties.

How can science and services help global food supply?

The second webinar, on 13 October 2022, considered the impacts of climate change on the resilience of the food system and how this is factored into decision making. We were joined by speakers from the University of the West of England, Defra and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

Event summary

We need to take action to secure healthy and sustainably produced food for all in order to achieve net zero emission targets. It is vital that researchers and stakeholders come together in a spirit of openness and collaboration and with real urgency to mobilise ideas and resources around advancing the transition.

UK policymakers are working towards risk pathways to try and reduce our exposure to risks. There is a desire to encourage the uptake of best practise in farming, which will support both reduction of emissions as well as climate resilience in terms of more resilient crops. Precision breeding technologies also have longer-term potential to support food security and help the UK meet Government goals around adapting to climate change and enhancing sustainability.

Every mitigation and adaptation decision has to be context specific because of the significant impact on vulnerable populations and ecosystems. Countries need to think about no-regrets scenarios, including different criteria and elements in the decision-making process. Numerous policy and technology-based options have been already tested and, in many cases, have been proven to be economically viable and commercially possible. However, there is still an implementation gap in the sector. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has suggested many innovative solutions that would contribute to the transformation from the business as usual to more sustainable agri-food systems.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022
URL https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/climate/cop/cop27-webinars
 
Description Methane, muck, and money - are we missing a trick with manure? Webinar 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Are we missing a trick with manure management that others around the world are starting to see? New research suggests the scale of UK methane emissions may be larger than first thought - but also that better management could significantly reduce this, while technology could harness emissions to generate energy and income. All of this rests on focusing attention on the much maligned area of manure management. According to government figures, methane emissions from enteric fermentation (burps & farts directly from ruminant livestock) account for 53% of UK agricultural emissions, while waste and manure management account for 16%. But ongoing new research suggests a much larger proportion of emissions may be coming from manure. "Manure has historically been left in a corner and treated like shit," says our speaker, Andy Atkins. "It's time we gave it the attention it deserves. This is a really complicated area, and there are huge ramifications, but we need to start somewhere."
Our two speakers will present on their joint research in this area and highlight key questions and areas of further research: Andy Atkins is Chief Scientist at the International Fugitive Emissions Abatement Association, and Neil Ward is Professor of Rural and Regional Development at the University of East Anglia (UEA), co-lead of the AFN Network+.
100 attendees
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
URL https://www.agrifood4netzero.net/resources/?_resource_type=webinar
 
Description NW Presentation to Zinc VC 'Venture Builder' Programme for 65 entrepreneurs, plus expert advice and support to 10 business start ups in the agri-food and net zero topic area 
Form Of Engagement Activity A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Industry/Business
Results and Impact Presentation on net zero and agri-food to the whole cohort of 65 entrepreneurs on a business start up programme supported by Zinc Venture, with subsequent one-to-one mentoring and support to 10 entrepreneurs
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
URL https://www.zinc.vc/programmes/venture-builder/
 
Description NW presentation to staff of China's Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs on GHG emissions reduction from the UK agri-food system (est. 50 participants) 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Policymakers/politicians
Results and Impact Briefing presentation to Chinese civil servants in the Ministry of Agriculture
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022
 
Description Nature of Prosperity Dialogue, Center for the Understanding of Sustainable Prosperity 
Form Of Engagement Activity A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact The PI was a panel member on the theme, Food in crisis: food justice for a finite planet of which the purpose was to lend her expertise to the exploration around how community level innovations can tackle health, affordability and sustainability in our food systems.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
URL https://cusp.ac.uk/themes/prosperity/nop7/
 
Description Neeli Mosque Rochdale Climate & Food workshop 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact Guest scientist at workshop as part of project coordinated by Imperial - Our World Our Collective Future: We are the first to feel the effects of climate change and the last capable of addressing it. Workshop looked at solutions with Professor Bridle discussing food and climate for 20 minutesfollowed by an artistic budgeting exercise where half the participants focused on energy planning (Prof David MacKay style) and half on food-carbon budgeting, creating posters of their discoveries.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
URL https://twitter.com/rochdale_c/status/1718736557627113945
 
Description Net zero & diet: How psychology and poverty determine choices Webinar 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact Speaker: Charlotte Hardman
Chair: Neil Ward

To provide useful, engaging, and informative KE for the network each month, structured around key topics/ issues relevant to AFN's 6 research themes
To provide the basis for a number of written briefings on these themes
To build up a publicly-available catalogue of such resources (videos & briefings) for the network and more widely
To raise AFN's profile, grow the network, and forge new contacts and relationships
To make the insights and knowledge of people at the top of their game, including latest research, available to the network
To create more KE opportunities between different actors in the UK agri-food system, particularly between academics/ researchers and food system stakeholders such as farmers, and foster a collaborative and multi-disciplinary approach to net zero in and food system transformation
To provide a structure/focus to KE/research activities that all feed into AFN's end goal
The webinar provided AFN with visibility through an email campaign to the Network+ and more widely on Twitter/X and LinkedIn. The webinar itself provided network members and others with engaging insights from a quality speaker, and sparked debate and KE through a lively Q&A session following the presentation. New members joined the network when signing up for the webinar.
The webinar was uploaded to Youtube where it received further views (counted as part of activity reach), and received further engagement on social media, as well as increasing AFN's visibility.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023,2024
URL https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ylk1TWVzNck&t=28s
 
Description Net zero v No Net Loss: Why carbon markets aren't a good model for investing in nature recovery webinar 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Oxford University economist Alex Teytelboym will set out a new approach to scaling investment in nature recovery. At a time of urgent need for private finance to pick up the heavy lifting in nature recovery, Alex will explain why existing market designs such as carbon and Biodiversity Net Gain are not sufficient to scale investment in nature, and use an innovative case study to demonstrate how a different, auction based approach, could scale and enable investment. Alex will be in conversation with Emily Norton, AFN Network+ Policy Champion, and natural capital markets expert.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2025
URL https://www.agrifood4netzero.net/resources/?_resource_type=webinar
 
Description Net-zero and circular agriculture - University of Guelph, Canada 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Talk to practitioners on circular economy approaches to decarbonising livestock production.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022
 
Description Online Networking Event for AFN Scoping Studies, April 2024. 
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 Held to facilitate networking between potential scoping study team members, this event attracted around 85 registrations, with 50 people participating.
They took part in a series of activities, including short speed-meeting sessions in breakout rooms. Participants came from a range of organisations: 30% business/industry, 15% civil society organisations and 55% higher education.
Interest across the research themes was fairly evenly spread, with fewest people having an interest in system-wide and cross-cutting issues. Each participant had a card in a slide deck created for them, with the information they had shared on application (Who are you looking to connect with to help your Scoping Study application? Are you going to the Crucible? Are you an early career researcher? Area of food system you work in? Which research priority/ies are you interested in? What do you bring that will contribute to your selected research priority?)
After the event, this card deck was also shared to the LinkedIn Scoping Studies group, which has 33 members. Informal feedback on the event was very positive.
Of those who registered for the event, 11 people were subsequently involved in successful scoping studies, including 2 who are now project leads.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
 
Description Open Food Network Panel 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Continuing on from our last event - Addressing systemic inequality in our food system: a panel discussion - we wanted to approach the topic in a different way. Food equity is an issue that is rooted in systemic inequality, which can often feel bigger than us. But, together, we can talk about it, participate in the conversation and co-create solutions through sharing experience and knowledge.
That's why we wanted our next session to be a community roundtable, tackling the issue of food equity. Because we want to encourage thoughts and ideas to emerge from interactive conversation and exploration of diverse perspectives. This will be an amazing opportunity to connect with other people who care about baking food equity into the fabric of their communities, as well as with those who share a common interest in building fairer food systems that benefit - and feed - everyone.
Because our movement is filled with people doing amazing work addressing food poverty and working for food justice - and this session will help bring all of our heads together! This is also going to be a welcoming space for those who are interested in the conversation and want to learn more - and perhaps find a way to participate in finding solutions together.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
URL https://www.facebook.com/events/1204017746883306/
 
Description Opening keyote talk at Livestock, Environment and People conference 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Describing structural issues in the field and how the UKRI AgriFood Network+: AgriFood4NetZero: Plausible Pathways, Practical and Open Science for Net Zero Agrifood can help, and work of FixOurFood
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
URL https://www.leap.ox.ac.uk/event/leap-conference-2022
 
Description Opportunities of alternative protein/ cultured meat webinar 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Livestock production and alternative proteins are likely to sit side-by-side in the coming years, with alternative products taking greater market share than currently. But what might this mean for farmers? And what potential might this present to use more land for carbon sequestration and other needs?

Prof Tom MacMillan and colleagues from the Royal Agricultural University argue that we should be exploring this question around cultured meat (one type of alt. protein) more seriously, and that involving farmers as the industry develops could benefit everyone. In his recent report, he and colleagues argue that cultured meat may even present new income opportunities for some farmers, give 'real meat' a marketing edge, and that using agricultural by-products could make cultured meat cheaper and more sustainable.


Lydia Collas and colleagues at Green Alliance have mapped out how a 'land dividend', created from shifting towards more alternative proteins, could enable European farmers to sequester more carbon for the carbon market, create more space for nature, contribute towards greater national self-sufficiency, and expand agro-ecological farming. Read the Green Alliance report, and country profiles.

145 attendees
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
URL https://www.agrifood4netzero.net/resources/?_resource_type=webinar
 
Description Oxford Real Farming Conference 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact I presented the results and key lessons learned from the Accessible Veg Pilot project. There was substantial interest among the professional practitioners about how to implement similar activities in their farm businesses.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
URL https://orfc.org.uk/
 
Description Oxford Real Farming Conference - Boot camp for agroecologists 
Form Of Engagement Activity A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Industry/Business
Results and Impact Part of a panel on 'finding common ground' raising awareness and offering advice on securing project funding while being authentic to values and working with local food producers
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
URL https://www.organicresearchcentre.com/news-events/news/oxford-real-farming-conference-boot-camp-for-...
 
Description Oxford Real Farming Conference panel Chair: The Welsh Policy Perspective on transforming our food system 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Food is a basic need, but seldom a basic policy area. Drawing on agroecology for cohesive national food strategies can provide benefits across all these sectors: supporting public health, environmental sustainability, economic stability, social cohesion, and national security and sovereignty. Local farmers and communities are demonstrating the viability of nature- and climate-friendly small-scale production and supply chains and the positive impact of building relationships back into the
food system. At the national scale, this agroecological approach can contribute to national security by establishing food sovereignty, which emphasises ecologically appropriate and socially equitable production, distribution, and consumption as ways to sustainably and independently meet all citizens' basic need for nutritious food.
I've had a number of people get in touch regarding collaboration on the policy advocacy work.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
URL https://orfc.org.uk/
 
Description Oxford Real Farming Conference panel: THE SEARCH FOR COMMON GROUND: RECONCILING FARMING AND ACADEMIC RESEARCH 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact While in the field, farmers pioneer and share innovative regenerative practices, research councils continue to pour millions of pounds a year into tech-heavy, top-down solutions to the challenges faced by agriculture. This session will bring together academic researchers, funders and pioneering farmers to discuss how we can work
better together. Through their own experiences of successful participatory research, panellists will explore differences in expectations, timescales and language which pose challenges to collaboration, and discuss what can be done to overcome these. They will then discuss what action is needed for the wider research agenda to recognise and support farmer-led innovation.
I've had a number of participants in the audience get in touch about how to support their ideas with academic research.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
URL https://orfc.org.uk/
 
Description Oxford Real Farming Conference panel: Why we need to change food retail 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Independent food traders and new routes to market can help us build a more regionalised and resourceefficient food system - one where farmers and local economies get a greater share of profits, and where nature and climate-friendly food is prioritised. This session unpicks why we need alternative ways of distributing and selling food, and how we can support their growth through policy and other measures. We will explore the new business models that are emerging and the challenges and opportunities for independent food retailers and wholesalers in 2024.

As a result of this panel work, I have furthered collaboration with the panel chair, Better Food Traders, and we have a funding proposal in submission.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
URL https://orfc.org.uk/
 
Description Participation in BEIS/Defra net zero agri-food scenario planning project 
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 Neil Ward invited as an expert participant to several workshops for this BEIS/Defra study of future scenarios for net zero and the agri-food system
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022,2023
 
Description Podcast - BBC - Antisocial - Meat Free Menus and choice 
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 The greenhouse gas emissions caused by meat, dairy, and plant-based alternatives. Sarah Bridle, professor of food, climate, and society at the University of York, digests the data. Raising awareness of behaviour change and food supply change changes
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
URL https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0j2310x
 
Description Presentation to Defra/BBSRC 1-day workshop on Sustainable Intensification and Regenerative Agriculture, Royal Society 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Policymakers/politicians
Results and Impact Defra/BBSRC workshop held at Royal Society on agriculture , land and net nero
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022
 
Description Presentation to members of the Rural Energy and Environment Agency, Chinese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, UEA. 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Delivery of a presentation to members of the Rural Energy and Environment Agency, Chinese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, at UEA
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
 
Description Pro Veg meeting addressing food and education 
Form Of Engagement Activity A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Industry/Business
Results and Impact Discussion of potential collaborations with Pro Veg between Professor Bridle and Martin Skingley, Education lead for Pro Veg UK.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
URL https://www.linkedin.com/company/proveguk/?originalSubdomain=uk
 
Description Project Website and Membership Directory 
Form Of Engagement Activity Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact A re-designed website was launched in September 2024. Informed by what we have learned in the first years of the project, it provides a smoother, more professional experience for AFN members and other visitors to the website, allowing them to find the information they want easily and quickly. The new website has a couple of new features that will be of benefit to AFN members, the wider network, and the agri-food sector:
Member directory - The member directory is a key way for members to interact with each other. At the launch of the directory, we had 365 members who had asked to join, and this has since grown to 483 as of 21 October 2024. Members can add the following information about themselves:
Name, Job Title, Organisation, Location (English regions, nations, or international) where they work, Background, Fields of interest/expertise, and contact details (only available when other members have logged in).
In terms of background, the profile of the almost 500 members in the member directory is more evenly distributed than we have seen previously across the Network, with fewer than 50% of members having an academic background.
The locations where members work are evenly distributed around the regions and nations of the UK. Only Yorkshire and the Humber and Northern Ireland are noticeably under-represented. Interests and expertise are also fairly evenly distributed. The best-represented are Biodiversity, ecology, conservation, and Consumers and diets; the least represented are GHG measurement, accounting and markets, and Infrastructure and logistics.
In addition, there are two free text fields in the member directory - "About me", and "I would like to work with members on". These last two fields are particularly useful for members to search and find each other, and then connect and work together. In the first month we have noticed that people often search for specific individuals, but are also looking for topics, such as "environmental systems", "urban agriculture", organisations, such as "John Innes Centre" or "Forum for the Future", or places, such as "Oxford" or "Nottingham".
Resource Hub - the Resource Hub on the new website includes an extensive collection of webinars, briefings, podcasts, digests, and essential research and reports. There are already nearly 100 items on there. There are nearly 60 AFN webinars, briefings, newsletters and podcasts. There are also nearly 40 key reports produced by organisations across the agri-food sector. We are continuing to build this into a valuable resource for people across the agri-food system.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022,2023
URL https://www.agrifood4netzero.net/
 
Description Retailer supply chains; barriers & opportunities to cutting emissions Webinar 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact Speaker: Stephen MacKenzie, WRAP

Chair: Neil Ward

The UK has one of the most concentrated groceries retail sectors in the world, with just five supermarkets controlling around 80% of the market. Tackling GHG emissions in these supply chains can therefore have a huge impact. But with thousands of suppliers, fierce competition between retailers, and less-than-perfect measurement tools, how can this actually be achieved? Dr Stephen Mackenzie, a Senior Specialist on the issue of GHGs in food systems at WRAP, digs into this for us.

Dr Mackenzie covers:
- A top-down view on key sources of GHG emissions in UK food systems and trends in recent years
- An overview of membership and principles of the GHG working group under the Courtauld Commitment 2030
- Current barriers to measuring GHGs across supply chains, including on-farm carbon calculation tools, reporting standards, and decision making.
- The Retailer Net Zero CAP - opportunities and challenges of forming such collaborations
- Research gaps to measuring / reducing GHG in supply chains and where our working group members say they need help

Intended purpose:

To provide useful, engaging, and informative KE for the network each month, structured around key topics/ issues relevant to AFN's 6 research themes
To provide the basis for a number of written briefings on these themes
To build up a publicly-available catalogue of such resources (videos & briefings) for the network and more widely
To raise AFN's profile, grow the network, and forge new contacts and relationships
To make the insights and knowledge of people at the top of their game, including latest research, available to the network
To create more KE opportunities between different actors in the UK agri-food system, particularly between academics/ researchers and food system stakeholders such as farmers, and foster a collaborative and multi-disciplinary approach to net zero in and food system transformation
To provide a structure/focus to KE/research activities that all feed into AFN's end goal
The webinar provided AFN with visibility through an email campaign to the Network+ and more widely on Twitter/X and LinkedIn. The webinar itself provided network members and others with engaging insights from a quality speaker, and sparked debate and KE through a lively Q&A session following the presentation. New members joined the network when signing up for the webinar.
The webinar was uploaded to Youtube where it received further views (counted as part of activity reach), and received further engagement on social media, as well as increasing AFN's visibility.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
URL https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CoSDIFVq0Q8&t=6s
 
Description Royal Society workshop for Philosophical Transactions editions 
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 Professor Bridle requested by Guy Poppy to supervise the final 'synthesis' chapter of the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B edition given their expertise and experience in co-ordinating and synthesising interdisciplinary research. This workshop took place with contributing authors.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
URL https://royalsocietypublishing.org/journal/rsta
 
Description Royal Welsh Agricultural Show 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact I spoke about the Accessible Veg project with project partners (farmer and charity) on the panel.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
URL https://rwas.ticketsrv.co.uk/tickets/733
 
Description Scenario Mapping workshops 
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 The Team convened a series of workshops to co-produce a set of plausible scenarios for 2050. Those directly involved in the Network+ were joined at the workshops by around 40 other individuals drawn from a wide range of organisations including; UK universities and research institutes; central government departments and agencies involved in food, health and environment; international development agencies such as the UN; national and local farming groups covering both conventional agriculture and environmentally-progressive production systems; environmental organisations; international commodity trading organisations; the security and diplomatic services; commercial organisations; and international financial services including national banks. Participants contributed as individuals and not as representatives of their organisations. Four 'plausible futures' were developed around how the world could change in terms of geopolitics and stability, markets and social change. They are:

Scenario A: 'Build back fast again' - an unstable and globalised world, where economic growth is key (essentially business-as-usual);
Scenario B: 'Circular worlds' - geopolitically stable and globalised, underpinned by circular sustainable systems and values;
Scenario C: 'Self-sufficiency' - an unstable, regionalised world, where a circular economy is driven by the need to save resources; and
Scenario D: 'The right to food' - a geopolitically stable world, with a globalised economy built on 'green growth'.
The report is being made freely downloadable from the AFN website. It includes illustrations to aid understanding of the scenarios. Printed copies are being circulated to key stakeholders.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
URL https://drive.google.com/file/d/1PFmdDo4TBnwXcAVWErfvBA42lZv_74et/view
 
Description Scoping Studies Program 
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 We administered the call, proposal evaluation and funding allocation process between June and August. Fifteen Scoping Study project proposals were awarded, and contracts are still in the process of being finalised. Three projects are at the £50K level and 13 are at £10k (see Table 1 below). The majority of projects are concerned with supporting agriculture towards more sustainable practices, with some in supply chain and behaviour change. There are some community-based projects based in Kingston upon Thames and Bristol.
The reporting phase for these projects has been designed, with an aim of giving the scoping study project teams the opportunity to share the progress of their research and any difficulties they may have. It will also give us the capacity to create a record of the project progress and facilitate reporting the impact of these projects in future.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
URL https://www.agrifood4netzero.net/2023-funded-scoping-studies.html
 
Description Social Media program 
Form Of Engagement Activity Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact We have worked to establish a presence across Twitter ('X') and Linkedin and currently have over 1,000 followers on each. We use' X' to support the newsletter and events, by providing news and information about how to engage as well as updates on the day by way of news. LinkedIn is also used to provide news to the Network membership in addition to being used to provide a digital space for networking and to forge professional relationships (being particularly effective for this purpose in the lead up to the crucible). We are also looking into the use of the BlueSky platform to determine whether this might become a viable alternative to X in future.
We've recently started using a web programme (tinyurl) that tracks the links we share on social media. This will help us to understand which posts attract the most attention as well as which platforms provide the highest engagement levels which in turn will help us to understand where our SM efforts are best spent.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023,2024
 
Description Speaker in conversation with Charles Watson, Chair of River Action UK 
Form Of Engagement Activity A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact Speaker in conversation with Charles Watson, Chair of River Action UK: Neil spoke at an agri-food conference organised by New Anglia LEP (21 Feb 2024)
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
 
Description Strengthening the resilience of the UK food system, January 2024. 
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 Held to encourage networking amongst AFN members (and others) considering an application to the call UKRI: Strengthening the resilience of the UK food system.
Around 100 people registered for the event, with more than 70 attending.
The meeting included brief presentations on the call, followed by breakout sessions that allowed participants to meet other delegates.
A slide deck was created with a card for each participant to describe themselves and their interests.
Informal feedback from participants was positive. Outcomes pending formal announcement from UKRI.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
 
Description Sustain Meat Debate Conference 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Tim Benton gave a keynote presentation and Neil Ward attended the event
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022
URL https://www.tabledebates.org/events/sustain-summit-can-we-find-balance-debate-meat-and-dairy-face-na...
 
Description Systems Thinking: How to address highly complex problems webinar 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Anyone who's tried to unravel and address problems in the agri-food system will know how complex it is: Agri-food researchers, stakeholders and professionals working towards net zero also have to account for other economic, health, social and environmental issues, which are often multiple, interlinked and overlapping.
If this sounds familiar, so will the below characteristics of highly complex problems (sometimes called 'wicked problems' by policy makers):
Interlinked issues, where trying to address one in isolation worsens the others.
Multiple perspectives and conflict on which issues matter most, and therefore what action should be taken.
Power relations making change difficult, and
Pervasive uncertainty
While traditional scientific, policy and management approaches can make useful contributions, we need something in addition if we want to address more of the complexity and conflict associated with these kinds of complex problems. Systems thinking can help.
In this talk, Prof Gerald Midgley will introduce a framework of systems thinking skills, plus a variety of systems ideas and methods, that can help people put these skills into practice. He will illustrate the use of the methods with examples from food system, natural resource management, social policy and community development projects undertaken over the last thirty years in the UK, New Zealand and Nigeria. Some of these projects involved working with agri-food companies and their stakeholders, while others focused on intransigent social issues. Through these examples, Gerald will show how we can begin to get a better handle on highly complex problems.
222 attendees
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
URL https://www.agrifood4netzero.net/resources/?_resource_type=webinar
 
Description The Crucible 2023 
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 The Crucible event took place at Bristol City Hall on 21st-22nd June 2023, and was supported by professional facilitators from the Center for Facilitation. The event had several objectives, which included an opportunity for the delegates to further feed into the Network's research priorities, and to build a stronger sense of ownership of the Network to the Community of Practice. Other objectives included providing a sandpit environment to forge strong connections between members of the Network, encourage the development of project proposals between connected members, and ultimately to fund two projects by the end of the event. The ideas were focussed around the four themes chosen by the Network at the Big Tent for this research call:
Enabling behaviour change for net zero through agri-food
Reaching net zero through circular food systems
Measuring progress towards net zero through agri-food
A just transition for net zero through agri-food
The Crucible agenda included 14 sessions which were a combination of networking, idea development, plenaries and proposal-workshopping events. The design of these was aimed at facilitating the objectives above and to further embed the values of inclusivity and fun into the Network. At the end of the Crucible, each team had the opportunity to present a short pitch in order to put themselves forward for a funding award on the day. Three ECR board members were part of the two groups awarded funding for £10K Scoping Studies at the Crucible, with a further nine members involved in projects funded after the event.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
 
Description The peatland question - should we continue to cultivate them, and how? Wbinar 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Peatlands are incredible - globally they cover 3% of land area but hold more than twice the carbon in all the world's forests. But managing them is a conundrum and a balancing act between short and long term food security, biodiversity, climate, and livelihoods: Their carbon-rich soils make them food-producing power-houses (accounting for 30-40% of UK-grown potatoes and vegetables) but also significant carbon emitters when drained and cultivated (1% of UK carbon emissions). Those who farm peatlands are often acutely aware of this issue, but don't know what to do: Rewetting peatlands can lock this carbon back up and improve biodiversity, but rewet them too much and they start to emit methane, and of course displace food production elsewhere and potentially impact livelihoods too. So, what should we do? Prof Heiko Balzter, from the University of Leicester, will unravel this topic for us: Last year he convened 40 researchers and peatland farmers in the East Anglian Fens, an area that accounts for around 27% of England's total peatland, and on which 4,000 farms and 80,000 livelihoods depend. Prof Balzter will present his main findings and possible ways forward.
Heiko will cover;
UK peatlands currently - their importance, services, and emissions
Key trade-offs with peatland management, including; emissions, food production/ security/ displacement, biodiversity, livelihoods
Farmer voices - the challenges peatland farmers face
Whether food production and emissions reductions is possible, and how
The potential of 80 new/ novel crops identified and their market development
Urgent research and policy needs

169 attendees
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
URL https://www.agrifood4netzero.net/resources/?_resource_type=webinar
 
Description Tim Lang - UK civil resilience and preparedness for food system shocks webinar 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Tim Lang is a leading scholar on food systems and has spent the last two years researching how prepared the UK is to deal with food system shocks - and what we can do to become more resilient. In this webinar, Tim will share his main insights before we open the floor to questions from the audience. Since you've told us you'd like more time with our speakers, Tim has kindly agreed to stay a while longer so we can really get into the topic properly. Don't miss this - Tim has a wealth of knowledge and is fascinating to listen to and learn from.
About this topic, Tim writes;
I'm interested in how the notion of resilience (the capacity to bounce back from shock) can be applied to the UK food system. The word is used endlessly but thinly. UK governments have assured us the UK's food security is robust. The National Risk Register 2023 gives only one food risk of 89 facing the country. Many food analysts disagree, pointing to a polycrisis of climate change, geopolitics, prices, food 'weaponisation' (Ukraine, Sudan, Gaza) and the fragilities of Just-in-Time logistics on which almost all food supply depends.
The UK has form in complacency about food, a policy legacy of Empire and EU membership. So far policy advice on resilience-proofing focuses on individual corporate actions. The public has barely featured despite the public being said to be in charge of supply!
This lecture will sketch the current national resilience framework, pointing to a gap between official resilience planning and food system realities. I draw on a not-yet-published report for the National Preparedness Commission which addresses the state of civil (ie the public's) food resilience. This highlights the need for community over individualism. Delivering civil food resilience requires a radical but reasonable shift in public policy and more public engagement. Benign ignorance is rarely a good policy.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2025
URL https://www.agrifood4netzero.net/resources/?_resource_type=webinar
 
Description Twitter account 
Form Of Engagement Activity Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Industry/Business
Results and Impact The purpose of the Twitter page is to provide a presence for the project on an active professional networking site, and diversify the channels in which potential network members can keep up to date and discover the network. It's also to drive information about activities, news and events out beyond our current network and support engagement and membership growth.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022,2023
URL https://twitter.com/AgriFood4Net0
 
Description UKRI Visit to Fix Our Food 
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 Fix Our Food engagements, projects, in development and outputs for UKRI panel of assessors
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
 
Description UKRI/Defra LUNZ Hub workshop 
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 Attendance of a workshop to discuss and formulate a proposal for LUNZ hub
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
 
Description Using beans to test systems thinking for food transformation webinar 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Given the complex nature of the UK food system, it is clear that interventions to transform it will need to be designed from a systems perspective, i.e. as systemic innovations. Key questions therefore include; what should be the boundaries of the system? Which actors and what perspectives would have to be involved? What collaboration would be needed? How could all the moving parts pull in one direction at once? Who would be the winners and losers?
We will look at a systems approach to food system transformation, through the lens of the BeanMeals project, which was designed to explore systemic innovations using beans as the case study.
The benefits of incorporating more beans into our diets and farming systems are well documented: not only can they contribute to healthier and more sustainable diets and lower shopping bills, but they can increase soil fertility, provide a home-grown livestock feed, and ultimately reduce GHG emissions.
In this webinar, our speakers will use the example of beans to show why thinking about the wider system is so important when trying to create large-scale change in diets and food production.
99 attendees
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
URL https://www.agrifood4netzero.net/resources/?_resource_type=webinar
 
Description Values 
Form Of Engagement Activity A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact The Executive and Ops team developed a set of 'Network Values' which underpin the objectives of the project and signpost the behavioural expectations of the Network. These also act as a shorthand for communicating the overarching aims of the Network. Currently, these values are used to inform strategic decisions within the Executive and Ops teams. They subsequently inform activity within the rest of the Network leadership including ambassadorial roles.
Our values:
A whole-systems perspective on agri-food and the net zero transition
Independent, non-partisan with scientific credibility
Practical solutions-orientation, with clear and accessible communications
Engaging, fun and with an open and inclusive approach
"WISE" (Whole-systems, Independent, Solutions-oriented, Engaging)
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
 
Description Vegan diet massively cuts environmental damage, study shows 
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 Public/other audiences
Results and Impact Neil ward was quoted:
Prof Neil Ward at the University of East Anglia said: "This is a significant set of findings. It scientifically reinforces the point made by the Climate Change Committee and the National Food Strategy over recent years that dietary shifts away from animal-based foods can make a major contribution to reducing the UK's environmental footprint."
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
URL https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/jul/20/vegan-diet-cuts-environmental-damage-climate-hea...
 
Description Wales Real Food and Farming Conference 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Contradictions and crises in our food system - Welsh policy and the Well-being of Future Generations Act
Chair: Dr Angelina Sanderson Bellamy, University of the West of England
Speakers: Katie Palmer, Food Sense Wales; Rhys Evans, NFFN
The Well-being of Future Generations Act requires public bodies in Wales to think about the long-term impact of their decisions, to work better with people, communities, each other and to prevent persistent problems e.g., poverty, health inequalities, climate change. A panel of experts, convened by Food Policy Alliance Cymru, will consider whether the Act's principles of prevention, integration, collaboration, involvement, balancing short-term and long-term needs, are reflected in policy across Wales' food system, and what the opportunities are for doing so. The session provides an opportunity to explore the current failures in our food system and the opportunities to co-create a holistic vision ahead of the draft Food (Wales) Bill being presented to the Senedd.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022
URL https://wrffc.wales/cynhadledd-2022-conference/
 
Description Wales Real Food and Farming Conference 2023 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact I spoke about the Accessible Veg project. Afterwards, I was approached by a participant who invited me to talk at their launch meeting for the Pembroke Local Food Partnership, which I attended in January. I also met colleagues working on similar themes in the supply chain, who I may collaborate with on expanding the research.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
URL https://wrffc.wales/
 
Description Westminster Forum Next Steps for Data Transparency in the Food System 
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 Attendance of Knowledge exchange to conference with the following outcomes:
This conference examined proposals for a more transparent food system following the Government Food Strategy published last year, which announced the launch of the Food Data Transparency Partnership (FDTP).
It was an opportunity to discuss latest developments, next steps and key issues for implementing consistent reporting on environmental sustainability, and voluntary reporting on public health and nutrition, across the food industry.
Delegates discussed priorities for the FDTP and for stakeholders across the supply chain, including issues around metrics, standardisation and data collection, support that may be required, and how data collected can best be used to improve the food system.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
URL https://www.westminsterforumprojects.co.uk/publication/Data-in-Food-23
 
Description Westminster Forum, Priorities for Food Security in the UK 
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 Knowledge exchange fellow attendance to a conference with the following outcomes/themes
This conference discussed priorities for food security in the UK.
Delegates assessed the way forward for policy, strategy and stakeholder action in order to improve domestic food production and resilience, alongside the maintenance of a robust international food supply.
There was discussion on innovative approaches to underpinning a food-secure future, as well as addressing household food insecurity issues in the context of cost of living challenges.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
URL https://www.westminsterforumprojects.co.uk/publication/Food-Security-23
 
Description What is the cheapest way to cook? Air fryers, microwaves and slow cookers can all save you money over conventional ovens 
Form Of Engagement Activity A magazine, newsletter or online publication
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact Sarah Bridle quoted in the week

Limiting oven use to only "special occasions is the single most impactful thing an individual can do", Sarah Bridle, professor of food, climate and society at York University, told the BBC. The author of Food and Climate Change Without the Hot Air added that ovens are "particularly inefficient" because they're often uninsulated, so "you end up heating the whole kitchen".
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
URL https://theweek.com/business/personal-finance/959930/what-is-the-cheapest-way-to-cook
 
Description What next for food and farming at UNFCCC COP? 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact Chair: Neil Ward
Speaker: Tim Benton

Intended purpose:

To provide useful, engaging, and informative KE for the network each month, structured around key topics/ issues relevant to AFN's 6 research themes
To provide the basis for a number of written briefings on these themes
To build up a publicly-available catalogue of such resources (videos & briefings) for the network and more widely
To raise AFN's profile, grow the network, and forge new contacts and relationships
To make the insights and knowledge of people at the top of their game, including latest research, available to the network
To create more KE opportunities between different actors in the UK agri-food system, particularly between academics/ researchers and food system stakeholders such as farmers, and foster a collaborative and multi-disciplinary approach to net zero in and food system transformation
To provide a structure/focus to KE/research activities that all feed into AFN's end goal
The webinar provided AFN with visibility through an email campaign to the Network+ and more widely on Twitter/X and LinkedIn. The webinar itself provided network members and others with engaging insights from a quality speaker, and sparked debate and KE through a lively Q&A session following the presentation. New members joined the network when signing up for the webinar.
The webinar was uploaded to Youtube where it received further views (counted as part of activity reach), and received further engagement on social media, as well as increasing AFN's visibility.

Accompanying briefings;
https://www.agrifood4netzero.net/uploads/1/1/9/5/119571121/what_was_achieved_at_cop28_in_food_and_farming.pdf
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1e2IfBN6A0vv9HScY00JTE9shMQJ8wjpF/view
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
URL https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17FSATBu6bA&t=206s
 
Description Wheat breeding for soil health & GHG reduction, John Innes 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact The Knowledge exchange fellow attended an event around the topic of Wheat breeding for soil health & GHG reduction,
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
 
Description World building' instead of 'behaviour change' - how do we make healthy & sustainable food the easy and cheap choice? webinar 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Individual irresponsibility - that's the reason we're all overweight, unhealthy and eating unsustainable diets, right? If you agreed with the dominant political messaging of the last few years, then you'd answer yes.

But there's a growing recognition that our environment - the shops and food available in our neighbourhoods, the advertising we see, how different foods are costed and displayed, etc - is the main driver of dietary habits.

As the recent House of Lords' Food, Diet and Obesity Committee stated; "all income groups fail to meet dietary recommendations. This is not because of a collective loss of willpower. In recent decades, unhealthy, often highly processed foods have become widely accessible, heavily marketed and often cheaper than healthier alternatives."

How then, do we move from placing all our bets on individual behavioural change to building a world where healthy and sustainable diets are the easy and normal choice for everyone, regardless of location, income and other cultural factors? And how can political discourse be encouraged towards leadership and action?

Our two speakers, Lauren Leak-Smith and Ed Whincup, work for the Behavioural Insights Team - originally established as a research unit within the UK government and now an independent consultancy working on behavioural change, globally. They will be sharing insights from their recent report; How to build a Net Zero society.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
URL https://www.agrifood4netzero.net/resources/?_resource_type=webinar
 
Description Young farmers and the drive to net zero Webinar 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact Speakers: Richard Byrne , Sophie Gregory & Luke Cox
Chair: Neil Ward

Intended purpose:

To provide useful, engaging, and informative KE for the network each month, structured around key topics/ issues relevant to AFN's 6 research themes
To provide the basis for a number of written briefings on these themes
To build up a publicly-available catalogue of such resources (videos & briefings) for the network and more widely
To raise AFN's profile, grow the network, and forge new contacts and relationships
To make the insights and knowledge of people at the top of their game, including latest research, available to the network
To create more KE opportunities between different actors in the UK agri-food system, particularly between academics/ researchers and food system stakeholders such as farmers, and foster a collaborative and multi-disciplinary approach to net zero in and food system transformation
To provide a structure/focus to KE/research activities that all feed into AFN's end goal
The webinar provided AFN with visibility through an email campaign to the Network+ and more widely on Twitter/X and LinkedIn. The webinar itself provided network members and others with engaging insights from a quality speaker, and sparked debate and KE through a lively Q&A session following the presentation. New members joined the network when signing up for the webinar.
The webinar was uploaded to Youtube where it received further views (counted as part of activity reach), and received further engagement on social media, as well as increasing AFN's visibility.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
URL https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJoWeN_98X0&t=1261s
 
Description ZOE Podcast: How Your Food Choices Affect the Planet (joinzoe.com) 
Form Of Engagement Activity A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press)
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact Sarah Bridle was interviewed
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
URL https://greenallianceblog.org.uk/2022/07/26/reaching-net-zero-in-food-and-farming-is-the-next-big-ch...