We recently held the 4th Annual Institute for Food Nutrition and Health (IFNH) Forum on the theme of ‘Sustainable and Nutritious Food – are these values irreconcilable?’. To replicate the…Read More >
Agriculture
COVID fallout hit farmers hard – they need better mental health support
A farmer’s lot is not an easy one. A difficult and demanding way of life, farming involves a huge range of challenges and stresses – among them isolation, climate change, and disease…Read More >
Making informed decisions in the midst of the climate crisis
As the second of four all-staff talks we held in the run-up to the COP26 Summit in November 2021, this blog includes a presentation by Professor Amanda Callaghan (Evolutionary Biology…Read More >
Animal research to accelerate the transition to net zero emissions
The way we produce our food has a big impact on the environment. Farmers globally need our support to do two jobs that are fundamental to our survival: feed the…Read More >
Creating space for engagement alongside research
Deepa Senapathi, a researcher in the University’s ‘bee team’, reflects on her experience working in a large integrated team with a wide range of stakeholders, and suggests reasons why their…Read More >
Robot farmers could improve jobs and help fight climate change – if they’re developed responsibly
Farming robots that can move autonomously in an open field or greenhouse promise a cleaner, safer agricultural future. But there are also potential downsides, from the loss of much-needed jobs…Read More >
How do you like them apples? Seriously, what’s your problem?
The power of accurately defining problems can be transformative in shaping the direction of research to maximise benefit to society, economy and the environment. We share one experience here that…Read More >
Boosting bee diversity can help stabilise crop production
There are over 20,000 bee species and together they help pollinate more than 75% of the world’s leading food crops. Honeybees tend to hog the limelight, but few realise how…Read More >
The fourth agricultural revolution is coming – but who will really benefit?
Depending on who you listen to, artificial intelligence may either free us from monotonous labour and unleash huge productivity gains, or create a dystopia of mass unemployment and automated oppression….Read More >
Enabling a just transition to England’s new agri-environment scheme
The UK’s decision to leave the EU is seen by the Government as an opportunity to reform UK agricultural land policy. Researchers from the University of Reading and the University…Read More >