Root and Reason

The AFN Network+ has become Root and Reason, the food resilience collective.

For AFN Network+ resources alongside new insights, events and more, visit rootandreason.org.uk.

Visit Root and Reason

The AFN Network+ has become Root and Reason, the food resilience collective. Visit rootandreason.org.uk for new insights, events and more.

Funded projects - AFN Network+

Funded projects

The Network has given more than £1 million to dozens of projects. We have provided funding in two ways:

  • Scoping Study Grants are led by an academic partner, and were given up to £50,000. Projects are inter-disciplinary and include at least one non-academic partner.
  • FlexFund Grants provided non-academic members of the AFN Network+ with between £1,000 and £5000 to support activities that identify and shape research, innovation and policy development.

Project Showcases

In November 2025, the AFN held two online Project Showcases, featuring nearly 20 of the projects that had received funding. This video collects together their 3-minute presentations, giving a flavour of what the diverse projects had delivered.

Funded Scoping Studies

Our Scoping Study fund is now closed. We ran two funding rounds in 2023 and 2024, awarding projects that addressed the challenge of reaching net zero through agri-food. Projects were multidisciplinary and had to include collaboration between researchers and food system stakeholders.

Find out more about the studies we have funded

Funded FlexFund Projects

Our FlexFund was open to UK-based stakeholders to implement activities that support our mission to build a community working towards achieving net zero through agri-food sector by 2050. We awarded grants of between £1,000 and £5,000 four times a year.

Find out more about the projects we have supported

UK Research and Innovation has funded this network with support from these four councils:

The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC)
Natural Environment Research Council (NERC)
Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC)

UK Research and Innovation