At LEGUMINOSE, we are committed to pioneering sustainable farming practices by closely working together with farmers. We do this through on-farm “living labs”, which are research trials on the farmer’s own fields. We are currently in the process of establishing 180 such living labs across seven European countries, Egypt and Pakistan. The farmers will test out legume-cereal intercropping on their own farms. They themselves choose the techniques and crops most relevant to their farm.
"Farmers can see how a new approach compares with what they normally do and that’s a small, but very important step in becoming greener."
Jerry Alford
Advisor, Soil Association, UK
What are the benefits of this living lab approach?
- Putting farmers at the helm: Through living labs, farmers have the opportunity to test and refine sustainable agriculture techniques firsthand.
- Real-world results: Our partnership with farmers through living labs is yielding promising results. Early findings indicate significant yield increases (27%) through legume-cereal intercropping.
- Economic viability: By collaborating with supply chain partners, such as millers and buyers, we ensure that sustainable practices are not only environmentally beneficial but also economically viable for farmers.
- Scaling sustainability: Through knowledge-sharing and continuous experimentation, we are paving the way for scalable solutions that promote regenerative agriculture and reduce dependency on agrochemical inputs.
"We are keen to take part in any opportunity to get some trial work done on growing two or more crops together"
Dougal Hosford
second-generation UK tenant farmer, managing one of the LEGUMINOSE living labs
Curious to learn more about our on-farm living labs? A recent article in Earth.Org featured our project and provides insights into our living lab approach.