Farmers interested in growing pulses can get involved with a new £5.9m Defra-funded project that aims to increase the UK area of pulses from 5% to 20% and cut agricultural emissions.

Over the four-year Nitrogen Efficient Plants for Climate Smart Arable Cropping Systems (NCS) project, about £370,000 will be paid direct to farmers to carry out on-farm trials.

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The project hopes to establish a core of at least 200 UK farmers to join its Pulse Performance Enhancing Platform (PulsePEP).

This will be a knowledge exchange hub for farmers, agronomists and wider industry striving to achieve the best from pulse crops and reduce carbon emissions.

From the PulsePEP, about 50 “Pulse Pioneers” will be selected and paid to host on-farm crop and feeding trials.

These will explore soils, crop yields and livestock rations, through better use and marketing of home-grown pulses.

Tailored assistance from the Farm Carbon Toolkit will be available to the 200 farmers to establish their carbon baseline, which will be monitored throughout the project.

What does the project hope to achieve?

Led by the Processors and Growers Research Organisation (PGRO) in collaboration with 17 industry partners including the British On-farm Innovation network (Bofin) and crop consultant Adas, the aim is to bring about a reduction of 1.5 million tonnes carbon dioxide equivalent a year or 54% of the maximum potential for UK agriculture.

“Pulses and legumes have considerable benefits for UK farming systems,” says PGRO chief executive Roger Vickers, who leads the NCS consortium.

“This will be achieved by increasing pulse and legume cropping in arable rotations to 20% across the UK. In addition, the project aims to market more home-grown legumes into livestock rations and reduce soya meal use by 50%,” he says.

Oxfordshire mixed farmer David Passmore, who has already signed up to the project, hopes it will promote a better understanding of pulses in UK arable rotations, improve yield consistency and drive market demand – particularly in the livestock industry.

Kent grower Andy Howard, who is also involved, explains: “Through on-farm trials and close involvement with the research community, we’re at last pulling valuable R&D off the dusty shelves of research institutes, into fields and the hands of farmers where it belongs.”

Currently, PulsePEP has 257 members, which includes 109 farmers who wish to be carbon baselined – which means the project is halfway to its target. Farmers interested in being involved can sign up at ncsproject.co.uk.