Evaluating the Efficacy of Agroecological Practices for Enhancing Climate Resilience in UK Arable and Livestock Farming Systems

Introduction

The agricultural sector in the United Kingdom is facing significant and increasing pressure from climate change. More frequent and intense extreme weather events, such as droughts, floods, and heatwaves, pose a direct threat to the stability and viability of primary production. To ensure a secure and sustainable food supply, there is a critical need to transition towards farming systems that are resilient to these climatic shocks. This PhD project is aligned with the “Climate Smart Research” Horizon Europe project, which focuses on developing innovative, evidence-based approaches for climate-smart agriculture. This European project will establish a network of 29 research facilities across Europe and New Zealand. This PhD will focus on developing better understanding and quantifying the effectiveness of climate-adaptive practices within diverse agricultural landscapes of the UK.

Aims and Objectives

The primary aim of this research is to critically assess the contribution of different farming practices to the climate adaptation and resilience of UK agriculture. The project will focus on both arable and livestock systems, which are integral to the UK’s agricultural economy.

The main objectives are:

1. To identify and categorise agroecological and conservation farming practices currently implemented in the UK and their potential to enhance climate resilience.
2. To quantify the biophysical impacts of these practices on key indicators of resilience, such as soil health, water retention, and yield stability, in representative UK farming systems.
3. To model the long-term resilience of these farming systems under a range of future UK climate change scenarios to evaluate the effectiveness of different adaptation strategies.
4. To develop a practical framework for assessing the climate resilience of farms, which can serve as a decision-support tool for farmers, land managers, and policymakers.

Methodology

This project will employ a multi-faceted and interdisciplinary approach, combining a systematic literature review, empirical data collection from case study farms, and simulation modelling. The final methodology will be developed based on the candidate skills and interest but may include –

• Systematic Review and Case Study Selection:  systematic review of existing literature to identify and synthesize current knowledge on climate-adaptive agriculture in the UK. Based on this review, several case study farms across different regions of the UK will be selected. These farms will represent a range of farming systems and will be implementing various agroecological and conservation practices (e.g., no-till farming, cover cropping, agroforestry, and rotational grazing).
• Field Data Collection and Analysis: On the selected case study farms, a range of biophysical data will be collected to assess the impact of different farming practices on climate resilience. This will include measurements of soil organic carbon, water infiltration rates, crop yields and their interannual variability, and pasture productivity. This empirical data will be used to compare the performance of different management strategies, focused on metrics of climate resilience, to build a robust evidence base.
• Resilience Modelling: The data collected in the field will be used to calibrate and validate a suitable ecosystem model. This model will then be used to simulate the long-term performance and resilience of the different farming systems under various climate change scenarios. This will allow for an assessment of the long-term viability of different adaptation pathways and will help to identify potential trade-offs and synergies.
• Framework Development: The findings from all work packages will be integrated to develop a multi-criteria assessment framework for evaluating the climate resilience of farms. This framework will be co-developed with farmers and other stakeholders to ensure its practical relevance and usability as a decision-support tool.

Expected Outcomes and Impact

This research is expected to make a significant contribution to both academic understanding and practical on-farm decision-making. The project will deliver a comprehensive evidence base on the effectiveness of different farming practices for enhancing climate resilience in the UK. The key outcomes will include a publicly available dataset on the performance of UK farming systems, a calibrated model for simulating climate resilience, and a practical framework for on-farm resilience assessment.

The findings of this research will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications, conference presentations, and policy briefs. Ultimately, this project will provide farmers with the knowledge and tools they need to make informed decisions about adapting to climate change, thereby enhancing the long-term sustainability and resilience of the UK’s food production system.