ontract period: 1st April 2015 to 31st March 2018
Project webpage:www.agricology.co. uk
Main funder:The Daylesford Foundation
Contact staff at ORC:Dr Susanne Padel
Other staff involved:Katie Bliss, Janie CaldbeckOlivia Davies
Project aims
Agricology is a new online resource that translates scientific research in to practical advice to help farmers become more profitable and more sustainable, while protecting the environment.
Agricology aims to provide farmers with the best practical information on ecological techniques, via a website www.agricology.co. uk, on social media, and through on-farm events.
Agricology is guided by a steering group of leading figures from the worlds of agriculture and horticulture. Together, they represent a diverse range of farming principles including organic, integrated conventional, biodynamic, agroforestry and permaculture.
Topics covered by Agricology’s resources include:
- Improving soil structure, quality and health
- Minimising pressures of pests, diseases and weeds
- Utilising grassland and home grown feeds for livestock
- Reducing antibiotic use
- Encouraging biodiversity, notably pollinators and other beneficial insects
Agricology also features inspirational farmer and grower profiles, which are designed to stimulate farmer–led innovation and help spread the word.
ORC’s role
Agricology builds on ORC’s Defra-funded work to establish an ecofarming information hub. The new project will consolidate content and develop visual presentation of the hub, whilst aiming to broaden its appeal to agriculturalstudents and to non-organic farmers wishing to manage land with greater sensitivity to the environment. ORC will have overall responsibility for development of the content and has recruited a Content Manager for this role.
Project leader and partners
Agricology has been created by three partners:
- The Daylesford Foundation supports projects in the UK that educate in the core areas of sustainable food, growing and the countryside.
- The Organic Research Centre is the UK’s leading independent research centre for the development of organic and agroecological food production and land management solutions.
- The Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust’s Allerton Project research the effects of different farming methods on wildlife and the environment, and share the results of this research through educational activities.