17 October 2025

In the first Digest, we looked at the report’s key messages, priority actions, and transformation path that will take the UK food system from 2025 to 2050.

In this Digest, we’re looking at the transformation that the report says needs to happen in farming, to ensure a more resilient and sustainable sector that supports healthy diets.

The three core transformations the Roadmap set out are: 1) stronger, more resilient farming; 2) smarter, more integrated land use; 3) healthier diets, made easier. 

“Taken together, they create a virtuous cycle that can meet climate goals, health imperatives and nature recovery needs, underpinned by strengthened food security and economic resilience,” says the report.

CORE TRANSFORMATION 1: Stronger, more resilient farming🚜 🌳 🐄 🫘 🥕

Climate pressures and global instability mean farming will need to change whether we like it or not. But if we act now, we can adapt in a way that supports farmers and rural economies, and builds national resilience.

The Vision

🐄  From specialised farming – to mixed and diverse farming  🌾

🚜  From high emissions – to low carbon tech ☀️

🌳  From vulnerable to shocks – to farm business resilience 👩🏻‍🌾

UK farms will operate as financially viable businesses within carbon budgets, producing the healthy foods our nation needs. Agriculture will feature integrated crop–livestock systems that enhance soil health and reduce import dependence. Domestic production of fruits, vegetables and plant proteins will have expanded dramatically. Livestock farming – though reduced in scale – remains valued for its role in mixed farming systems, soil health, ecology and landscape management. Farms will generate renewable energy, deploy precision techniques, and operate within circular resource flows that strengthen productivity and environmental stewardship.

Co-benefits

✅  The transformation of UK agriculture brings benefits far beyond emissions reduction. It strengthens national food security by reducing vulnerability to import disruptions while directly tackling climate change through integrated crop–livestock systems that enhance soil carbon storage.

✅  Expanding domestic production of fruits, vegetables and wholegrains creates new rural employment in horticulture, agroforestry and their associated supply chains while supporting healthier UK diets.

✅  More diverse, climate-adapted farming systems deliver environmental gains through reduced water pollution and enhanced biodiversity while building resilience against the extreme weather events that are already disrupting UK agricultural production.

Priority Actions

UK agriculture is locked into patterns that drive greenhouse gas emissions, with 85% of farmland supporting livestock production. We import half our vegetables and most fruit, and are facing escalating climate risks. The following actions can build resilience across the industry:

💰 Financial and transition support💰

• Establish transition funds for farm businesses, providing grants and low-interest loans for diversification and infrastructure.

• Ensure farmers have 10-15-year-minimum security through long-term contracts and policy commitments.

• Support UK horticulture expansion with industrial strategy and capital grants for infrastructure to meet a projected five-fold increase in production.

🏛️  Policy and market mechanisms 🏛️

• Reform subsidies to reward sequestration, biodiversity improvement and sustainable production aligned with nutritional needs.

• Develop carbon and ecosystem service markets that properly value on-farm emissions reductions and nature-based solutions.

• Create structural adjustment mechanisms for communities most affected by transition.

🤓  Knowledge and innovation 🤓

• Expand socioeconomic transition research on behaviour change, implementation pathways and distributional effects.

• Build knowledge exchange networks between researchers, advisors, farmers and food businesses.

• Strengthen interdisciplinary research addressing not just technologies but more fundamental questions about what is produced and consumed.

These interventions will enable UK agriculture to meet climate targets while delivering multiple benefits for farmers, communities and the environment.

Want to know more? 

Read the report, and access the summary report, press release, and briefs of the three core transformations. 

Sign up to our webinar on Wednesday 22nd, 3-4pm, with Prof Neil Ward and Prof Tim Benton, co-leads and co-authors of the report.