Project lead: David Williams, University of Leeds

Project members: Matt Crapper, G. H. Crapper and Son Ltd; Jonathan Hodgson, I.M. Hodgson & Son; Joseph Martlew and Isobel Eames, AHDB; Lauren Kavanagh, DEFRA; Mark Taylor, Natural England; Ruth Wade, University of Leeds; Jennifer Hodbod, University of Leeds

Project summary: We must continue to produce food to meet the demands of our population, but our current agriculture practices degrade the environment and release greenhouse gases (GHG), with intensive agriculture responsible for 10% of UK GHG. To address this, many farmers, researchers, businesses and policymakers are interested in agricultural practices that have the potential to reduce GHG emissions and sequester carbon to reach net-zero targets. However, there is currently a lack of understanding of (a) which agricultural practices are currently being used (b) the potential impact of these practices on GHG emissions and carbon sequestration; (c) how changing agricultural practices will affect UK food production.

Using published literature and expert opinions we will conduct a synthesis of UK net-zero agricultural interventions, determining their barriers, opportunities and potential impacts, and estimating the level of certainty we currently have about these effects.