Good morning everyone its great to see you all and I get chance to talk to you all over the next couple of days and you also have a very enjoyable and productive time
This is the first of the annual conferences we will be holding during the 5 yr lifecycle of the programme.
You will notice the range of funders and the collaboration of the RCs this indicates the national and global importance of the issue.
i.e. 1 m3 sustains each person
Ever expanding population, as well as changing diets e.g. China most populous country more meat with wealth
2030 critical date for Defra they wish to achieve sustainable soils by then.
Current management is unsustainably depleting this resource.
Soils very much on the government agenda a report from earlier this year
Scottish Soil Framework • SO1 - Soil organic matter stock protected and enhanced where appropriate • SO2 - Soil erosion reduced and where possible remediated
Led by NERC
We need to get beyond the lab. Note different scales
Complexity needs to be understood.
Ability of different soils to adapt and respond to land use and climate change.
SARISA = Soil and rhizosphere interactions for sustainable agri-ecosystems
Led by BBSRC, Developed by Global Food Security programme.
Get technologies adopted see SARIC later
I am leading the team. Much of my recent experience has been in the contaminated land sector, working in health risk assessment from soil pollutants lots of familiarity working at the academic/regulator/practitioner interface.
Anna KE ensuring the uptake of your research findings by the wider community and developing connections to co-develop those findings . Research Officer for a number of European Projects, Office of the Deputy PM, more recently as a consultant to the food industry e.g. sustainable supply chains.
Sharon undertook an Agricultural Economics degree at Reading, has worked for Defra and the insurance industry in the past. Key contact for the programme and many of you will have communicated with her recently.
Jeremy graduated in Biochemistry undertook a postdoc in the US and in recent years set up his own antique book business. Responsible for website encouraging you all to provide content.
I am sure you will find all the team will provide substantial support.
Are there any projects using Defra platforms or plans to do so?
To do a good job have to connect with all of these, this is how you achieve impact. See later presentations