Earth Smart

In-field research and technology for sustainable food, climate resilience and healthy soil

By bringing research directly into the field, working with farmers, landowners and communities, we are co-creating sustainable land management strategies. We are developing practical approaches to using advanced agri-tech and sensor technology to provide rapid, real-world data that can be applied at the right time and in the right place for productive, sustainable, healthy landscapes.

At �鶹��ý, we are bridging the gap between research and action – we are Earth Smart.

Working closely with farmers and landowners to develop a ‘living laboratory’ where we test and prove practical agri-tech solutions for sustainable food production.

Building the evidence base for nature-based solutions to climate change by deploying novel sensor technology in the field to gather global environmental data.

Safeguarding healthy soils by ground-truthing advancements in soil analysis technology and co-creating strategies to empower communities to take control of land management.

No food, no future...

Richard Preziosi in the field with a bird

Professor Richard Preziosi: A life surrounded by science

... can low-cost sensors ensure food security?

Our agricultural soils are becoming depleted, leading to growing pressure on our food production systems. Chemical inputs and intensive farming practices can only go so far in maintaining yields, and it is becoming ever more vital to find a balance where we can renew our landscapes without losing productivity.

At �鶹��ý, we are working across the entire South West agricultural system, from horticulture in Cornwall to pastoral land in Devon and arable farms in Somerset. This ‘living laboratory’ provides a unique proving ground where we can validate practical agri-tech solutions and develop the evidence base for best-practice approaches to agricultural regeneration, with both regional and national impact.

Dr Mark Whiteside holding biologger collars Earth Smart

'Living laboratory' answers key sustainability questions

Drones with sophisticated mapping equipment, robots armed with a suite of sensors, in-field genetics testing kits to explore the biodiversity of soil – farmers and researchers are working together to develop a set of practical tools that can be adapted to local conditions and individual farms, for rapid, on-site analysis of crop health, animal welfare and environmental impacts.

Professor Richard Preziosi and Dr Mark Whiteside explain how agri-tech can help to achieve healthy landscapes without harming productivity

Read the full article now
Published in Farmers Weekly, 14 June

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Scott Davidson changing the public perception of peat

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