Yorkshire Integrated Catchment Solutions Programme (iCASP)
Supporting Farmers to take a lead on Integrated Nitrogen Management
SEI's York Centre is contributing to Yorkshire Integrated Catchment Solutions Programme (iCASP) by hosting a workshop with stakeholders from farming, agricultural policy and scientific research to explore integrated nitrogen management (INM) approaches.
Dr Kevin Hicks, Dr Jean McKendree, Dr Sarah West of SEI, Environment and Geopgraphy Dept. and Dr Sarah Moller, of the National Centre for Atmospheric Science, University of York, co-ordinated an iCASP workshop on Integrated Nitrogen Management (INM), held in York on 1st March 2019. Forty stakeholders attended from the farming, agricultural policy and scientific research sectors to explore issues around INM including maximising resource efficiency and farm productivity while protecting biodiversity, air, soil and water.
The workshop set out to understand the challenges faced by farmers such as time pressures and maintaining financial viability. Resistance to change can be a major barrier, driven by influences both external, e.g. short-term leases, and internal, e.g. lack of succession planning. Environmental impacts are also just one part of a much wider set of considerations that farmers are expected to balance in running their businesses. Opportunities were uncovered including possible flexibility in a post-Brexit policy for the replacement of a Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) that could reward adaptation across all farm types and profiles to minimise trade-offs and maximise benefits. Seeing farmers as experts themselves is also key, particularly in demonstrating real-world success stories.
One outcome from the workshop is a potential co-designed partnership project to build on the work already started. This would involve working with stakeholders from science, policy and the farmer networks to assess the potential for improved INM on Yorkshire farms through identifying the most appropriate support tools, advice and financial incentives.
Further information is available in the workshop briefing paper.
iCASP is a UKRI-Natural Environment Research Council-funded partnership. It is making environmental evidence available to develop innovative solutions to water and land management issues. It aims to generate £50 million+ benefits to Yorkshire’s economy by 2022 and to inform regional and national practices and policies. These include the 25 Year Environment Plan.
Funded by NERC Grant: NE/P011160/1
Main website: https://icasp.org.uk/
