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Annual Report, March 2018 This report aims to provide an overview of the activities and focus for future work. 1. The SIRN Community: A major aim of the work in 2017 was to consolidate the network by increasing our engagement with a more diverse audience. Despite the existence of a formal process for membership registration, not every member of the SI community is officially registered. This is reported as a common factor by other network coordinators. Therefore, we monitored and targeted our direct communication (newsletters) to the following groups: Registered members, Subscribers to the newsletter by Mailchimp and Mailing list with additional names of people that showed an interest in our activities. In March 2017, SIRN total contact number was 148 with majority of names from academic researchers. In March 2018, the total number of our contacts is around 250. Figure 1 shows a summary of the community distribution. SIRN contacts March 2018 Funders KEC/Communications/Other Networks Business Researchers from developing countries UK researchers 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 0 Mailing list Registered members Newsletter subscribers Figure 1: Distribution of contacts for SIRN Network in March 2018. Figure 2 gives a breakdown of the expertise of researchers in all our contacts. Please note, numbers don’t necessarily measure the level of engagement of these researchers within SIRN but instead shows our efforts to reach different research areas and table 1 shows the associated organizations for all contacts.

Figure 2: Distribution of expertise of researchers for all SIRN contacts. Table 1: Associated organizations for all SIRN contacts. UK Universities UK Research Institutes SI related organization Farmers 1. Environment Agency 1. Elston Farm 1. Bangor University 1. CEH 2. National Trust 2. NFU 3. Natural England 3. R Cooke & Sons 2. Cranfield University 2. Earlham 4. Natural Resources 4. RF Percy 5. The Morley Ag. 3. Imperial College 3. JIC Wales 5. Organic Research Foundation 4. Loughborough University 4. NIAB Centre Business 5. Manchester Met. University 5. Rothamsted 6. Soil Security 1. 2-blades 6. Newcastle University Research Programme 2. Agrii 7. Yorkshire Farming and 3. Barworth Agriculture 7. Nottingham Trent University Wildlife Partnership Ltd 8. Queen's University Belfast 4. Rezitec Developing Countries 5. Sainsbury’s 9. Roehampton University 6. Velcourt 1. Bilan Awdal Org. 10. SRUC 2. CSIR 3. FOFIFA 11. University of Birmingham 4. ICIPE 5. IITA 12. University of Cambridge 6. ILRI a. SKUAST-Jammu 13. University of East Anglia 7. Soil Research Institute a. Somaliland NGO Somalia 14. University of Edinburgh Funders 15. University of Exeter 1. BBSRC 16. University of Greenwich 2. NERC 17. University of Hertfordshire 3. Defra 18. University of Leeds 4. AHDB 19. University of Lincoln 5. ESRC 20. University of Nottingham 21. University of Oxford 22. University of Reading 23. University of Sheffield 24. University of St Andrews 25. University of Strathclyde 26. University of Surrey 27. University of the West of Scotland

2. Enhancing communication and profile of the network: • Website: Traffic on the SIRN website has been relatively constant (Figure 3) in the last year with increased hits during more active periods (events, social media) with a total of 3.1K users and 4.8K sessions. Accordining to the webiste developers, this is the traffic expected for similar website from other academic networks. The majority of the traffic source are new visitors (75.8%) followed by returning visitors (24.4%). Visitors can be grouped by:  42.5% organic search (traffic from search engine results that is earned, not paid)  39.5% direct search (Any traffic where the referrer or source is unknown)  13% referral search (traffic that occurs when a user finds you through a site other than a major search engine)  5% social search (traffic from a social network, such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter) Figure 3: Traffic on SIRN website from April 2017 to April 2018. • Social Media - In the last year, we increased the number of followers from 312 to over 540 with 66% followers in the UK. Around 30% of followers are researchers and their expertise can be found on Figure 4. Other major groups of followers involve: - agricultural networks/initiatives (15%) - PhD and master students and training programmes (9.5%) - agri-business, KT (9.5%) - farmers and farming networks (4.8%)

Figure 4: Expertise of all researchers that are followers of @SIRN-tweets. • Newsletter: 7 newsletters were produced during the period of this report. • Blogs: 8 blogs were produced during the period of this report. • Profile: the profile of the network was raised and SIRN was cited in a NFU report1, the new BBSRC strategic framework for tackling Agriculture and Food Security (AFS)2 and on final newsletter for Defra SIP Platform3 and the Agri-Tech in China Newton Network4. 1 NFU Feeding the Future, Four Years On: A review of innovation needs for British Farming published on February 2017. Downloadable from https://www.farminguk.com/content/knowledge/NFU-Feeding-the-Future-report(2862-1750-8831-7419).pdf 2 BBSRC Research In Agriculture and Food Security – Strategic Framework published in July 2017 Downloadable from http://www.bbsrc.ac.uk/research/food-security/ 3 SIP Scene Issue 7 Autumn 2017 Downloadable from http://www.siplatform.org.uk/sites/default/files/newsletter_pdf/SIPSCENE_7th_Edition_FINAL.pdf 4 See http://www.agritechinchina.org/partners

3. Community engagement: Major events are listed in Table 2 with more detailed information. Overall, events brought together a diverse number of researchers, and covered a wide range of multidisciplinary areas. SIRN participation at the organizing committees for the SI Conference in 2017 and SI workshop in 2018 provided the opportunity to influence the programme, select participants and suggest speakers in successful ways. The work also helped SIRN to establish good working relationships with colleagues in the Defra-SIP project, AAB, BBSRC, NERC and Defra. In addition, SIRN also participated at ‘Competing demands and perceptions of sustainability’ workshop at the University of Birmingham (July 2017), The 6th International Symposium on Soil Organic Matter (September 2017) and STFC Food Network+ sandpit event (February 2018) at Rothamsted Research. SIRN also was strongly involved in the promotion and dissemination of 2 Defra-SIP webinars: Sustainable intensification at the landscape scale: an introduction to the Landscape Typology Tool (Nov 2017) and Comparing Farm Sustainability: Introducing the new Sustainable Intensification Benchmarking Tool (December 2017). In the last year, the network PI was involved in 1 meetings of theFACCE-JPI Knowledge Network on Sustainable Intensification. The network coordinator visited CEH to meet colleagues from Valuing Nature programme and had interactions with colleagues from Defra- SIP project, the Soil Security Programme, SARIC, GARNet, the UK Plant Sciences Federation (UKPSF), the British Ecological Society (BES) Agricultural Ecology group, STFC Food Network+ and Agri-tech in China to find synergies and explore ways for collaboration in joint activities. SIRN engagement with the Advisory Board happened at ad-hoc, as requested by them in our first meeting in 2016. Examples of requests are support from Carol Morris to lead social sciences workshop, support from Julian Hibberd to contribute to the UKPSF document on ‘The future of UK Plant Science’, support from Sara Eppel to contribute to the BES Brexit event that was later cancelled and support from Stuart Knight since the PI has put out the idea to industry partners that they should contribute to government’s consultation on future topics for industrial call. PI will submit suggestions through Rothamsted’s direct interface with BBSRC.

Table 2: SIRN major events during April 2017 to March 2018 Activity Objective + Participants + outcome to date Comments Key opportunities for the social sciences What role can the The purpose of the workshop was to explore the included: (a) Understanding the implications on social sciences ways in which the social sciences might contribute to Brexit on UK agriculture, including on SI (b) Thinking about the winners and play in Sustainable research into SI. losers of SI, also exploring unintended consequences of innovation. Question Intensification 20 participants including representatives from underlying assumptions and influence of research? BBSRC, NERC and ESRC and researchers working on: power. May 2017 Environmental Management, Impacts of Policy (c) Understanding the role of the social sciences and humanities in causing Change, New technology, Social Learning and Co- transformative change in agricultural systems innovation processes, Landscape Ecology, Life Cycle (d) Creating meaningful social indicators of SI Assessment, Mathematical Modelling of Agricultural (e) Understanding diets and how to influence behaviour across the supply Systems, Resilience, Soil sciences and Water. chain (e.g. business, consumers) (f) Exploring the relative role of food Outcomes of workshop were published on website distribution versus food production and with the identification of key opportunities for the its consequences for SI social sciences: Blog on website, Newsletter and (g) Understand motivations, and Twitter remove barriers, to the adoption of SI practices Sustainable The event aimed to showcase outputs of Defra-SIP As part of SIRN discussion, few actions Intensification project and raise the profile of SIRN network to keep were agreed to be explored ways to conference in the SI community together. secure more funding and SIRN’s role in partnership with All papers from the conference can be found in setting the agenda for SI research. AAB and Defra-SIP Aspects of Applied Biology – Aspects 136: Nov 2017 Sustainable Intensification. New connections and networks established. Sustainable The purpose of the workshop was to bring together Intensification researchers to stimulate the development of high- Increased awareness of projects and workshop: quality proposals which build on the scientific programmes (Defra-SIP, ASSIST and Soil Building on our legacy of Defra’s Sustainable Intensification to Nutrition) Research Platform (SIP), and/or link to other current SI Foundations in activities, by drawing in additional perspectives and Increased awareness of funding partnership with capabilities from the wider scientific community. It opportunities available to the BBSRC, Defra and aims to facilitate innovative research that will community NERC. inform the SI of farming systems by exploiting Feb/March 2018 scientific opportunities to address relevant research Four requests for additional support challenges in new ways. from SIRN to meetings to plan grant Around 50 participants including representatives on proposals BBSRC, Defra, NERC and AHDB and researchers working on: Agricultural Policies, Agricultural A report is under preparation by systems (crop and livestock), Agroecology, Animal colleagues in Defra with support from (behaviour/welfare, health, nutrition), Applied others in the planning team. The report is statistics and mathematics, Biology, Biodiversity, aimed for internal use by funders. Climate Change adaptation, Decision making, Farmers behaviour and attitude, Ecosystem A summary of the event will be added to Services, Functional Genomics, Genome sequencing sirn website after approval from the and environmental metagenomics, Land and water communication teams from funding management, Mathematical modelling, agencies. Microbiology, Plant (genetics/developmental biology, pathology, population biologist, plant-soil interactions), Remote sensing, Rural Development and Rural economy, Soil (nutrient dynamics, erosion, land degradation, microbiology), Sustainable farming management and Water (engineering, hydrology)

4. Future activities: SIRN decided to focus the activities for the final year in the following strategic areas: 1. To fund and support activities to follow-up BBSRC, NERC, Defra SI workshop – SIRN has committed £5K for meetings to researchers to encourage grant proposal writing aimed primarily for Defra additional funding for SI, BBSRC responsive mode and NERC discovery science. We have received 4 requests to date to support meetings to produce grant proposals aimed at building on existing ISPs Soil to Nutrition and ASSIST (Table 3). One of the proposals will be aimed at ESRC funding. 2. To connect early-career researchers from multidisciplinary areas, providing mentoring, grant writing advice and opportunities for career development and networking. The ‘Sustainable Intensification and Natural Capital in Dialogue: Aligning the 25 Year Environment Plan and a new farming policy’ workshop aimed for early- career researchers workshop has been discussed with the Valuing Nature programme. With the recent announcement of UKRI Leadership Fellowship scheme, the workshop can be used to support researchers’ applications for the new scheme. Workshop is planned for Autumn 2018. 3. To explore other ways to support researchers on future funding calls such as Global Challenge Research Fund and Industrial Challenge Research Fund. SIRN can disseminate information on events/calls and facilitate discussions amongst members. 4. To carry out a mapping and horizon scanning activity on SI research in the UK. SIRN has initiated the mapping of major funded projects in SI related areas (see simplified list of some of the projects and initiatives in Table 4). This information will provide an overview of what has been supported, the research topics, people involved and outcomes to date. SIRN aims to use this to inform gap analysis and horizon scanning activities in the Winter 2018. 5. Final event for project with an opportunity for dissemination of horizon scanning work and evaluation of the network activities. 7

Table 3: Proposals submitted to SIRN for support for follow-up activities from BBSRC PI Aims of meeting Chris Stoate Meeting aims to discuss how can the existing SIP farm network co (GWCT/ Allerton Project) at the SIRN SI workshop and others raised within the SIP partners Outcome: In the absence of details of Defra specific call, the Date of event: 23th April mechanisms for taking the SIP farm network forward, with discus 2018, Loddington • One was the development of livestock mineral researc Henfaes, and most recently at Loddington with Nottingh summarise the latest literature as a basis for a funding a • The second theme was greenhouse gas balance researc Wyke and Henfaes through the GHG Platform. The Alle portable soil gas analyser which is currently being used management of arable soils. Ruben Sakrabani (Cranfield University) Planning meeting aims to discuss ideas and strategies for develop organic wastes in agricultural systems to achieve goals of sustaina Date of event: 3rd May 2018, Birmingham Matt Lobley Funding requested to help support the development of an ESR (University of Exeter) Performance, Productivity and Resilience’. Project will explore th farm business to successfully deliver food and fibre, environmen Date of event: TBC benefits to society. Karen Rial-Lovera Meeting aims to create a collaborative transdisciplinary research g (Royal Agricultural metrics to measure the social, economic and environmental imp University) considering scalability and temporality. The group will also work to funding. The group is formed by researchers with expertise on ap Date of event: TBC farming), environmental and plant science, animal welfare engagement. 8

C, Defra, NERC SI workshop in 2018. Additional participants ontribute to addressing the issues raised Michael Lee (Rothamsted Research North Wyke) ship. Prysor Williams (Bangor University Henfaes) e group had a broad discussion about Nigel Kendall (Nottingham University) ssions on two themes in more detail. Julia Cooper (Newcastle University, Nafferton) ch being carried out at North Wyke and Stuart Knight (NIAB, Morley) ham University. Nigel Kendall agreed to Felicity Crotty (GWCT, Allerton Project) application for continuing research. ch, again building on activity at North erton Project has recently purchased a to gather data in relation to ping a larger project on optimising use of Andy Whitmore (Rothamsted Research) able intensification. Julia Cooper (Newcastle University, Nafferton) Denise Elliot (NIAB) RC proposal ‘UK Agriculture post-Brexit: David Rose (University of East Anglia) he interlinked conditions necessary for a Jane Rickson (Cranfield University) ntal goods and services as well as social Tim Hess (Cranfield University) Michael Winter (Exeter) group to address the creation of accurate Harry West (Exeter) pacts on agricultural performance while Duncan Russel (Exeter) owards a strategic proposal for additional Paul Wilson (Nottingham) pplied sciences (agronomy and precision Richard Pywell (CEH) e, knowledge exchange and farmers’ Jon Storkey (CEH) Michael Lee (Rothamsted Research North Wyke) Dr Shona O’Rourke (The Royal Agricultural University) Dr Sara Burbi (Centre for Agroecology, Water and Resilience (CAWR), Coventry University) Dr Julie Ingram (Centre for Countryside and Community Research Institute, University of Gloucestershire) Prof Chungui Lu (Nottingham Trent University) Prof Les Firbank (University of Leeds) Dr Richard Gunton (University of Leeds) 8

Table 4: Major investments in agriculture related research1 Funders NERC/B Research programme BBSRC UK Biodiversity and Ecosystem Service Sustainability BBSRC, NERC, E Wheat Genomics for Sustainable Agriculture Defra an Sustainable Agriculture Research and Innovation Club (SARIC)1 NERC, B Valuing Nature ESRC Sustainable Intensification Platform NERC, B Soil Security Programme HEFCE ( Centre for the Evaluation of Complexity Across the Nexus Resilience of the UK Food System in a global context BBSRC a N8 Agri-Food (Universities of Durham, Lancaster, Leeds, Liverpool, BBSRC Manchester, Newcastle, Sheffield and York) BBSRC Achieving Sustainable Agricultural Systems (ASSIST) Industri Soil to Nutrition (Optimising Nutrient Flow) NERC, D Designing Future Wheat Develop Smart Crop Protection Wellcom International Ecosystem Services for Poverty Alleviation (ESPA) Departm Our Planet, Our Health RCUK Sustainable Agricultural Intensification Research and Learning in Africa BBSRC (SAIRLA) Global Challenge Research Fund Collective Fund: BBSRC, sources 1. Growing research capability to meet the challenges faced by BBSRC developing countries 37 projects including 9 relates to agriculture BBSRC ESRC 2. RCUK GCRF Interdisciplinary Research Hubs call BBSRC a GCRF Funding for Individual Research Councils / BBSRC STFC Defra an 1. GCRF Foundation Awards for Global Agricultural STFC 2. The Sustainable Agriculture in Sub-Saharan Africa call Virtual Joint Centre for Closed-Loop Cycling of Nitrogen in Chinese Agriculture The UK-China Virtual Joint Centre for Improved Nitrogen Agronomy (CINAg) Networks GarNET Nexus Network SIRN Food Network + UK-China Sustainable Agriculture Innovation Network (SAIN) Agri-Tech in China Network+ 1. Majority of information obtained from UKRI Gateway to Research tool. 9

s Period Value (approximated) BBSRC 2011-2017 £14M 2012-2018 £1.3M NERC and 13 company members 2014 £ 10M ESRC, BBSRC, AHRC and Defra 2014-2019 £ 6.5M nd the Welsh Government 2014-2017 £ 4.5M BBSRC, Defra and Scottish Gov. 2015–2020 £9.4M 2016-2019 £ 2.48M BBSRC, Defra and Scottish Gov. 2016 -2021 £ 14.5M (£8M) and £1M from each University 2016- £16M and NERC 2016 - 2021 £ 11M 2017-2022 £2.4M ial Strategy Challenge Fund (ISCF) 2017-2020 £2.3M Department of International 2017-2020 £6.3M pment and ESRC 2010-2019 £40.5M me Trust ment of International Development 2015-2020 £ 75M 2015-2020 £ 5M NERC and Newton Fund and other 2016-2018 1. £ 69M s in China 2000-2020 2. £8 to £20M 2014-2017 and NERC 2016-2019 1. £16.3M nd Chinese Government 2017-2010 2. £10M 2008 to present 2015-2019 £7M £2.4M £ 2.4M £1.8M £ 234K £364K Not known £ 2M 9

5. Budget: The remaining budget for 2018/2019 activities in the SIRN project is around £22 Activity Perio Follow up-activities from BBSRC, Defra and NERC SI Spring 2 workshop Other activities Summer/Aut (additional workshops or exchanges of researchers) Early-career event Autumn Horizon scanning activity (workshop) Winter Final event in 2019 Early 2 1

2,000. Below, a proposed allocation and periods for these activities is presented. od Amount available (£) 2018 3,500 tumn 2018 1,000 – 2,000 n 2018 5,000 2018 4,000 2019 6,500 Dr Adelia de Paula SIRN Network Coordinator 30th April 2018 10

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