Delivering a decision-support framework - soilquality.org.uk
Lead Research Organisation:
Newcastle University
Department Name: Sch of Natural & Environmental Sciences
Abstract
This project aims to design, develop and implement an innovative web-based decision support platform (soilquality.org.uk) for improved soil management in UK arable and lowland grassland systems. Using levy funding, farmers' demand for tools to manage soil health has been met in Australia through soilquality.org.au. The soilquality.org.au platform, which provides the ability to compare individual test results within a robust decision-support framework, is unique and highly valued by farmers' organisations. Working with collaborators in Australia, we will update, extend, and adapt to UK conditions, the established soil quality monitoring framework - soilquality.org.au. By extending the existing framework using the capabilities of mobile devices, this project will incorporate data from sensed and manually captured indicators, including in the field, to provide timely support and give a farmer-focused analysis of soil conditions.
Our new UK decision support platform (soilquality.org.uk) will integrate interpretation of existing measured soil quality indicators (largely chemical with some physical and biological) together with information on management strategies that can be used to address any identified constraints to production. To develop the platform for the UK we will bring together farmers, consultants, and scientists, within a partnership to support development and delivery of a web-based decision platform that meets the needs of farmers, farming organisations, and policy-makers allowing all stakeholders to take site-specific soil quality issues into account when planning and managing resilient and sustainable crop and grassland production for the long term. The project team is built on strong existing collaborative relationships which have developed and applied soil science within the agricultural industry for over 15 years; an integrated approach will link the strengths of the project team at Newcastle University, SRUC and in the applied research/consultancy (GWCT, ADAS, BGS), with the farming and advisory sectors.
Poor soil management in the UK costs farmers money as a result of lost production and also leads to negative environmental impacts adoption of the soilquality.org.uk framework is expected to significantly reduce these costs. The transformation in approaches to soil management enabled through use of the innovative web-based platform (soilquality.org.uk) will support sustainable productive arable and lowland grassland systems in the UK.
Our new UK decision support platform (soilquality.org.uk) will integrate interpretation of existing measured soil quality indicators (largely chemical with some physical and biological) together with information on management strategies that can be used to address any identified constraints to production. To develop the platform for the UK we will bring together farmers, consultants, and scientists, within a partnership to support development and delivery of a web-based decision platform that meets the needs of farmers, farming organisations, and policy-makers allowing all stakeholders to take site-specific soil quality issues into account when planning and managing resilient and sustainable crop and grassland production for the long term. The project team is built on strong existing collaborative relationships which have developed and applied soil science within the agricultural industry for over 15 years; an integrated approach will link the strengths of the project team at Newcastle University, SRUC and in the applied research/consultancy (GWCT, ADAS, BGS), with the farming and advisory sectors.
Poor soil management in the UK costs farmers money as a result of lost production and also leads to negative environmental impacts adoption of the soilquality.org.uk framework is expected to significantly reduce these costs. The transformation in approaches to soil management enabled through use of the innovative web-based platform (soilquality.org.uk) will support sustainable productive arable and lowland grassland systems in the UK.
Planned Impact
There are a number of beneficiary groups linked to this project; these are listed below together with a description of the benefit that will be gained
Agricultural industry
- Providing improved evidence to underpin recommendation for adoption and local adaptation of more effective soil management
- Supporting targeted reductions in agricultural inputs (fertilisers, pesticides) by enabling improved understanding and management of soil function supporting crop growth
- Providing a basic toolkit (with clear description of approaches to sampling and analysis with tools for site-specific interpretation) that can be used to screen proposed management practices in terms of impact on soil function
Academia
- New knowledge through the integration of current understanding of the links between soil properties and the ecosystem functions which soils support.
- Developing interdisciplinary expertise by providing integrated methodological approaches for the communication of soil quality information in ways that support decision-support effectively. which may be applied to other industry sectors
- Development of skills portfolio of postdoctoral researchers and research investigators through interdisciplinary approaches that stretch individuals' understanding and skills base
- Enhanced fundamental understanding of links between soil quality and function together with opportunities for agricultural innovation across a range of climates and conditions by working with Australian partners
Public sector - support for evidence based policy-making
- Providing improved evidence to underpin evaluation of impacts of farming practice on soil quality and function within agri-environment schemes
- Providing a toolkit (sampling, analysis, interpretation) that can be used to screen agri-innovations in terms of impact on soil function
Agricultural industry
- Providing improved evidence to underpin recommendation for adoption and local adaptation of more effective soil management
- Supporting targeted reductions in agricultural inputs (fertilisers, pesticides) by enabling improved understanding and management of soil function supporting crop growth
- Providing a basic toolkit (with clear description of approaches to sampling and analysis with tools for site-specific interpretation) that can be used to screen proposed management practices in terms of impact on soil function
Academia
- New knowledge through the integration of current understanding of the links between soil properties and the ecosystem functions which soils support.
- Developing interdisciplinary expertise by providing integrated methodological approaches for the communication of soil quality information in ways that support decision-support effectively. which may be applied to other industry sectors
- Development of skills portfolio of postdoctoral researchers and research investigators through interdisciplinary approaches that stretch individuals' understanding and skills base
- Enhanced fundamental understanding of links between soil quality and function together with opportunities for agricultural innovation across a range of climates and conditions by working with Australian partners
Public sector - support for evidence based policy-making
- Providing improved evidence to underpin evaluation of impacts of farming practice on soil quality and function within agri-environment schemes
- Providing a toolkit (sampling, analysis, interpretation) that can be used to screen agri-innovations in terms of impact on soil function
Description | To develop the soilquality.org.au platform for the UK we have brought together farmers, consultants, and scientists, within a partnership to support development and delivery of a web-based decision platform that meets the needs of farmers, farming organisations, and policy-makers allowing all stakeholders to take site-specific soil quality issues into account when planning and managing resilient and sustainable crop and grassland production for the long term. In the first phase we have successfully carried out a benchmarking process for existing soil indicators - pH, extractable P, extractable K, extractable Mg, visual assessment of soil structure and soil organic matter - which provided suggested ranges and targets/thresholds for these indicators. |
Exploitation Route | These ranges and targets/ thresholds could be applied in other projects seeking to measure / test soil quality in farming systems. |
Sectors | Agriculture, Food and Drink |
Description | The results of the benchmarking process for existing soil indicators - pH, extractable P, extractable K, extractable Mg, visual assessment of soil structure and soil organic matter - which provided suggested ranges and targets/thresholds for these indicators has been adopted for further testing within the AHDB-BBRO Soil Biology and Health Partnership. This is an industry-facing development project and is likely to inform the development of reporting systems for on-farm soil testing in the UK. |
Sector | Agriculture, Food and Drink |
Impact Types | Societal |
Description | AHDB Soil Biology and Health Research Partnership |
Amount | £1,000,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | Agricultural and Horticulture Development Board |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 02/2017 |
End | 12/2021 |
Description | NEC06484 UK: mySoil-sample, crowdsourcing digital soil data from industry and policy |
Amount | £124,822 (GBP) |
Funding ID | NE/R009244/1 |
Organisation | Natural Environment Research Council |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 01/2018 |
End | 06/2019 |
Description | Expert group - soil indicators |
Organisation | Royal Agricultural University (RAU) |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Meeting organisation Workshop structure and consultation |
Collaborator Contribution | Workshop attendance Discussion |
Impact | None yet |
Start Year | 2016 |
Description | Expert group - soil indicators |
Organisation | Wye and Usk Foundation |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
PI Contribution | Meeting organisation Workshop structure and consultation |
Collaborator Contribution | Workshop attendance Discussion |
Impact | None yet |
Start Year | 2016 |
Description | Faciliation of farmer pilots |
Organisation | SAC Consulting Ltd |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | Expert input to farmer meetings Access to information / pilot software ahead of market |
Collaborator Contribution | Co-ordination of farmer group (building on existing links) Facilitation of meetings |
Impact | IFS Proceedings publication - Proceedings 824 |
Start Year | 2016 |
Description | Expert group informing indicator sets |
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 | Expert group bringing information together to inform the selection of indicators for use in the pilot phase and the derivation of targets/ thresholds for use in benchmarking |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
Description | Farmers' Weekly interview and article |
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 | Farmers Weekly interview and follow up article which featured the project - 3rd June 2016 |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
Description | Stakeholder engagement groups |
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 | Regional workshops (6) which promoted discussion about the project, the intended outputs and soil quality measurement on farm. The outputs helped shape the web tool design; many of the farmers and industry stakeholders engaged in this project have subsequently become involved in other soil quality / heath work including as AHDB monitor farmers. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016,2017 |