Agricultural research should put farmers at the heart of project design if it is to deliver lasting changes in farming practice, argues a new paper from researchers involved in the Nitrogen Efficient Plants for Climate Smart Arable Cropping Systems (NCS) project.

The paper Nitrogen Climate Smart: Cutting UK Agricultural Emissions using a Farmer-Focused Theory of Change, sets out a framework for future agricultural research that prioritises farmer participation, on-farm trials, peer-to-peer learning and supply chain collaboration. 

It argues that involving farmers from the start leads to research that is more relevant, more readily adopted and more likely to deliver environmental and economic benefits.

Lead author Dr Emily Guest, postdoctoral researcher at Cranfield University, explained that the NCS project aimed to reduce agriculture's carbon emissions by 3.4MtCO2e per year through increased production and use of pulses. 

She said: "There is a wealth of scientific evidence about the benefits of pulses, but that alone isn't what makes farmers decide to grow them. Research must support farmers to build confidence, see the results for themselves and learn from each other if we want to create meaningful change.

"Research programmes must bridge the gaps between research, practice and policy. The impact of the project needs to be considered from the start, not as an afterthought or box ticking exercise." 

Led by PGRO the NCS project is a four-year £5.9M research programme involving 200 UK farms and 17 partners. Farmers have worked alongside scientists throughout the project to co-design and carry out on-farm trials that answer both scientific questions and practical farming challenges. 

PGRO CEO and NCS project lead Roger Vickers welcomed the publication: "From the outset, NCS was designed to do more than answer scientific questions. We wanted farmers, researchers and industry to work together to understand not only how pulses can reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but also what's preventing their wider adoption. 

"We hope this paper will help influence the way future research is designed – showing that bringing farmers, researchers and industry partners together from the outset delivers outcomes that are more likely to bring the change needed."

Tom Allen-Stevens, managing director of BOFIN which leads the on-farm trials and farmer engagement elements of the NCS project said: "Farmer-led research is the missing link. Good science on its own isn't enough if doesn't make it beyond the page. When farmers help shape the research, test it on their own farms and share what they've learned with others, that's when research can drive real change."