Discover how cereal-legume intercropping can boost farm resilience, protein production and nature friendly farming.
Join us to hear learnings from the Horizon Europe LEGUMINOSE project, including the potential for cereal/legume intercropping to provide on-farm resilience by improving UK production of protein with potential uses for livestock and human consumption markets, and supporting nature friendly farming.
Intercropping is an ancient agricultural technique where two or more plant species are grown simultaneously in the same field. Despite its environmental and economic benefits, intercropping is still a niche practice in the EU: Only 2% of European arable land is used for legume-cereal intercropping.
The on-farm trials, and the LEGUMINOSE project aimed to investigate the benefits of intercropping, identify the barriers which prevent farmers adopting the practice, and provide farmers with practical, science-based information on the practice.
Find out more about the Innovative Farmers trial here.
Agenda
14.00 - Introduction to the Leguminose project: Chair, Jerry Alford
14.05 - Key findings from UK on-farm trials
14.15 - Intercropping – a farmer’s view: Matt England
14.25 - The effect of nitrogen on intercrops: Dr Tom Sizmur
14.35 - Findings from European partner trial results:
14.45 - Intro to the Decision Support Tool
14.55 - Breaking down the barriers to intercropping
15.00 - Q&A and panel discussion
15.15 - Close
We encourage attendees to bring their questions to the panel through the Q&A, where there will be plenty of time for discussion.
Speakers and panellists:
Jerry Alford - Senior Farming Advisor, Soil Associaiton
Matt England - Farmer and trialist
Dr Tom Sizmur - Associate Professor, University of Reading
LEGUMINOSE is a Horizon Europe funded project, with UK funding provided by UKRI, investigating plant interactions in a cereal and pulse intercrop, and working with farmers and stakeholders to remove barriers to adoption of intercropping. For more information on LEGUMINOSE see the project website: https://www.leguminose.eu/
