Science's potential to help farmers cope with "extremes" ranging from increasingly volatile weather to geopolitical upheavals will be explored at a major agri-tech conference in East Anglia.
The 10th annual REAP (Realising our Economic and Agricultural Potential) conference will be held in Newmarket on November 8, offering a forum for debate and a showcase for new farming innovations.
Keynote speakers include Defra chief scientific adviser Prof Gideon Henderson and National Farmers' Union (NFU) vice president David Exwood.
They will discuss the growing challenges facing farmers - but also the opportunities if science can keep pace to find solutions.
Dr Belinda Clarke is director of conference organiser Agri-TechE, a membership organisation which promotes innovation in agricultural technologies.
She said: “The world is no longer the same shape as it was five years ago. Major geopolitical and socioeconomic disruptions, as well as extreme weather events, are creating a confluence of crises.
“All living things – us humans included – like to maintain equilibrium by making minor adjustments to stay within a comfort zone, but this is increasingly challenging and can induce a feeling of panic.
"At REAP 2023 we are going beyond the comfort zone and exploring the potential of the ‘stretch zone’, where the opportunity for greatest innovation and growth exists.
"We will look at the positive developments across science, technology, farming practice and the value chain that will enable sustainable, profitable agricultural production."
Prof Henderson will outline Defra's "direction of travel" for agricultural science and environmental policy, and discuss the challenge of balancing "net zero" and biodiversity goals with food production.
He said: "I see it as a two-way conversation: science is offering new options and opportunities for farming, and farmers are asking new questions of science. The activities of organisations like Agri-TechE are very important in supporting this dialogue.
“For example, in terms of soil carbon, we don’t currently have a broad enough range of measurement tools to assess soil carbon content, but we’re improving with some clever innovations in that space. There is hope that we can soon take higher-resolution and more accurate measurements.
“The simple statement ‘we want to maintain food production’ is quite a tricky concept. I look forward to hearing discussion about achieving such production in the face of environmental pressures at REAP.”
Prof Henderson will be joined by livestock farmer Mr Exwood, who said while farmers are open to science, there are many information sources and a lack of clarity from government and the supply chain on how to achieve targets.
“If a farmer asks the question ‘what is the right thing to do for net zero, biodiversity and climate?’ you could get a hundred different answers," he said.
"Trying to farm profitably while doing the right thing in all those directions – well, that is the challenge. We can do it but it’s not easy."
He added: "I think as challenging and uncertain as things are for farmers at the moment, these times are equally exciting and full of possibility."
The 2023 REAP conference, named "Adaptation through innovation; beyond the comfort zone", will be held on November 8 at the Rowley Mile Conference Centre in Newmarket. It is part of Agri-Tech Week, which will feature events across the region from November 6-10.
For more information see reapconference.co.uk.
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