Integrated farm management for sustainable intensification: what role for advisers?
Nafferton Farm, Northumberland - 8th September 2016
As farmers are required to produce more and more from their land the skills and knowledge of the farm adviser are becoming more important than ever. Sustainable intensification is an important approach for farmers and all land professionals but how practical or useful are the techniques and tools being developed, and how willing will clients be to adopt new systems? In association with the Sustainable Intensification Research Platform (SIP), landbridge hosted a workshop at Nafferton Farm in Northumberland on 8th September 2016, providing opportunities for advisers to explore these issues and learn more about the SIP. With a keynote from Michael Winter and excellent presentations from SIP Study Farm leads Gillian Butler, Chris Stoate and Dave Chadwick, the day also featured a farm walk to examine the interventions being tested at Nafferton. The workshop included lively breakout sessions where advisers, their professional associations, representatives of agricultural and ancillary industries, researchers and knowledge exchange specialists considered how advisory professionals might use the findings emerging from the SIP and further refine these based on their own knowledge and expertise in providing advice to clients. Findings from the event will be used to generate recommendations for a forthcoming SIP policy note on the role of advisers in sustainable intensification.
Building on a solid foundation: Improving knowledge exchange in arable farming
AIC, AICC, HGCA and landbridge workshop - 23rd September 2014, Peterborough
Landbridge co-hosted a workshop on the 23rd September 2014 in Peterborough which examined knowledge exchange in the arable sector and how this could be built upon and improved. The event was co-hosted by the Agricultural Industries Confederation, the Home Grown Cereals Authority and the Association of Independent Crop Consultants and featured contributions from leading industry representatives and researchers. This interactive workshop involved delegates mapping the knowledge exchange landscape in the arable sector, identifying the strengths and weaknesses of the current system and developing priorities for how knowledge exchange mechanisms and strategies could be improved in the future.
Taking stock of the links between research and the land professions
Landbridge Workshop - May 1st 2014, British Academy, London
Are scientists providing land advisers with useful information that they need to do their jobs? And do front line professionals have sufficient opportunities to contribute their expertise to the process of research? This one day interactive workshop hosted by landbridge on May 1st 2014 examined the links between research and the land professions and how they might be improved. With contributions from leading practitioners and researchers, the workshop explored models and strategies for bringing research and professional practice together, what gets in the way of fruitful knowledge exchange, and how barriers could be broken down.
Are multifunctional ecosystems the key to "delivering more with less" from agriculture while achieving improved water quality and supply?
Landbridge sponsored workshop - February 10th 2014, Bristol Aquarium, Bristol
This one-day landbridge-sponsored event brought together key players with interests in farming, the water environment and the interactions between them to share their knowledge. They explored systemic approaches to water quality and exploring the barriers that prevent farmers and growers (and others) making more use of these systems. The event was organised by the Environmental Sustainability Knowledge Transfer Network in conjunction with the University of West England and the Royal Agricultural University.
Bridging Ecosystems research and the built and natural environment professions
LWEC/landbridge Workshop 18 June 2013, Birmingham
This knowledge exchange event brought together land-based professionals and researchers on ecosystem services in order to help improve knowledge and understanding of how the built and natural environment professions can engage with the latest research agendas on ecosystem services to maximise policy impact and influence research agendas.
Setting an agenda for rural inter-professional working and exchange
landbridge Workshop 4 October 2012, Newcastle
This workshop provided a platform for advisors to learn from the experiences of inter-professional working, identify good practice and consider the implications of this for future policy, training and professional developmebt. It identified common issues across the professions and considered future needs and mechanisms for inter-professional knowledge exchange.
