Farming
Intensive agricultural practices are a major driver of biodiversity loss, soil degradation and water pollution worldwide. But farming and nature can go hand in hand. At Earthwatch we support farmers and agribusinesses to reimagine the way they farm and produce food in balance with nature.
We collaborate with farmers and agricultural businesses, helping them to monitor and reduce their negative impact on nature.
Farmers and agri-businesses are supported by Earthwatch Europe’s Farming with Nature platform to increase sustainability. Together we create scientific evidence about how to implement environmentally friendly practices to improve your farm’s health or your entire supply chain. Reinforced by three easy-to-use participative monitoring tools, and through peer learning, we research, monitor and understand key aspects of a healthy farm system, namely: biodiversity, soil health and freshwater quality. The approach can be tailored to the needs of individual farmers and businesses, with no prior knowledge or expertise required.
Farmers to citizen scientists
Citizen science – actively involving non-scientists in scientific research – is a key feature of almost all of Earthwatch’s environmental research projects.
We believe it is vital to involve local people in environmental monitoring and research efforts. Their local knowledge is essential for understanding the data. And seeing environmental impacts first hand creates understanding and inspiration for change. It’s part of our mission to create knowledge and empower people to make positive changes for the environment.
Our citizen science has evolved and changed enormously over the years, branching out to reach a wider audience and advancing data quality and impact. We are proud to be at the forefront of the global citizen science movement, developing and sharing best practice for the benefit of people, wildlife and nature.
Citizen science has a crucial role to play in the agriculture transition. By working with farmers and communities and developing the citizen tools for them to use, we can build robust datasets, inspiration and new collaborations to inform and enable positive changes to agriculture practices.
I never saw myself as a scientist. I don’t feel like a scientist. I don’t feel qualified enough. But when you put ‘citizen’ in front of that… no problem
Cathal Flood, farmer and fresh water citizen scientist
Farming Research Projects
Benchmarks
Benchmarks is building a European network – and an integrated soil health monitoring framework – to advance soil research, monitor… Read more
Ruralities
RURALITIES creates and enables resources to empower rural people as agents of change in six “Simplified Rural Socio-Ecological Systems” and… Read more
Reports
