Seminar Series December 2025
AgriFoRwArdS CDT Students Sharing their Quarterly Progress Updates and Go Farming for Real-World Inspiration! 🚜
AgriFoRwArdS CDT students and staff recently enjoyed a productive and festive two-day event, combining quarterly progress updates on their research project with a farm visit, providing invaluable real-world context for their work.
🔬 Day 1: Research Updates, Discussions, and Festive Cheer
Organised by the UEA team, the first day was held at the UEA campus in Norwich where Cohort 4 students from Lincoln, Cambridge, and UEA presented fascinating updates on their respective research and progress to date.
The session sparked engaging discussions as students explored the complexities and exchanged different ideas!
Following the thought-provoking presentations, the group enjoyed a well-deserved festive dinner — a perfect opportunity for students and staff to catch up, network, and celebrate an early Christmas together 🎄!
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🧅 Day 2: Inside Organic Farming at Home Farm Nacton
Day two offered a hands-on experience as the group travelled to Home Farm Nacton in Suffolk, a ~1700-hectare cropping farmland! This visit was a highlight, providing an up-close look at the daily operations of a modern, diverse farm. Despite the weather - cold and wet, it had not dampened the spirit of the group!
The students learned about:
Organic and conventional farming of vegetables such as onions: Insights into sustainable and ecological practices for this key crop. Looking after ~82 million onions is not an easy job requires a lot of dedication!
Processing of harvested leeks: Understanding the journey from field to packaging. The harvested leeks are washed with filtered water to remove the damaged leaves and stalks which are then recycled back to the land so that nothing is wasted!
Sprout Harvesting in Action: Witnessing the automation and manual effort involved in harvesting Brussel sprouts in the field, as well as processing in the plant facilities. These crops are a vital dish for our Christmas tables!
We are so grateful to Andrew Francis and his dedicated team at Home Farm Nacton for generously taking the time to explain the processes in detail and patiently answering the many questions posed by our curious students!
This trip was more than just a tour; it was a crucial learning opportunity supporting the students' academic journey. The experience at Home Farm Nacton has not only given the students a real-world experience in farming operations but, more importantly, it has triggered thoughts on how their theoretical research can be applied in real-world applications within a given context. Seeing the challenges and processes firsthand provided a vital space for students to think about the practical impact and potential deployment of their work, ensuring their research is grounded in the needs of the agricultural industry. The group were given a treat with tractor rides too which made the visit even more memorable!
It's clear that these kinds of connections are essential for inspiring the next generation of Agri-Food tech innovators!
After the visit the group enjoyed a lunch at a local food hall before heading back home. The group also bumped into previous UEA AgriFoRwArdS academic lead Professor Richard Harvey at the food hall, which was a pleasant surprise!
Finally, we must acknowledge the colleagues who work tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure the event was a success. Many thanks to the AgriFoRwArdS teams at each institution for their dedication and contributions. A big shout-out to Diana, Mark and Michelle from the UEA AgriFoRwArdS team in helping with the organisation of the event, and to Professor Beatriz De La Iglesia, Head of School at UEA School of Computing Sciences for her talk to welcome our AgriFoRwArdS CDT students and guests. A special thanks to Ivan Lam who volunteered his time to help run the event too, you are all amazing!
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By Dr Jeannette Chin
UEA AgriFoRwArdS Academic Lead
5 December 2025