Event Details:
- Event Date: 3-4 June 2025
- Time: To be confirmed
- Where: University of Reading, UK
- Attend in-person or online
Two day meeting with talks and discussion sessions on the topic of growing legumes in the UK as a source of protein, including using intercropping to reduce nitrogen inputs.
Agriculture is faced with the challenges of reducing its impact on the environment, adapting to the changing climate, and supporting biodiversity. UK agriculture relies heavily on imported protein for feed and home-grown legumes would help to reduce this dependence. Dietary change towards flexitarian/plant-based diets also creates a growing market for grain legumes for direct human consumption/processing for food. Grain and forage legumes have the potential to play a significant role either grown as sole crops, intercrops or mixtures in addressing the above challenges.
The inclusion of legumes in cropping systems enhances soil nitrogen levels, reducing fertiliser requirements and GHG emissions. The diverse range of leguminous forage and grain species provides opportunities for agriculture to grow a wider range of crops that are capable of coping with more extreme weather. Legumes also provide a resource for pollinators and birds and promote soil biodiversity.
Featuring:
- Invited Speaker: Kato Van Ruymbeke (KU Leuven, Belgium)
- Invited Speaker: Josiah Meldrum (Hodemedods, UK)
- Visit to University of Reading Farm
- Poster Session
- Conference Dinner
