The GREAT Project
The Gloucestershire Regenerative Environment and Agriculture Transition (GREAT) Project was a comprehensive and exciting programme, funded for 3 years by Thirty Percy from 2020 to 2023.
It offered free and subsidised support to new entrant and existing farmers and growers wishing to transition to more regenerative agricultural practices. Support included free farm advice, subsidised courses, a small grant scheme, peer mentoring, and a new entrant scheme.
Its three focus areas were - building evidence, sharing knowledge and nurturing enterprise – which were delivered by a collaboration of organisations led by FWAG SW that comprised FarmED, RAU School of Enterprise, RuRALink, Pasture Fed Livestock Association and the Community Supported Agriculture Network.
The project has had a fantastic impact across the county, with many inspirational case studies and reports, from 'regenerative grazing' to 'farming without a farm', available to view on The GREAT Project website.
The project also led to the development of an exciting new growing project - the GREAT Zerodig Project at the Royal Agricultural University. In 2023 partners Zerodig Earth and FWAG SW secured funding from the Esmee Fairbairn Foundation, to convert a 7.5 ha conventional arable field to agroecological horticulture. The project will be integrated into the new MSc in Agroecology starting at the RAU in 2024, and offers volunteering and training opportunties to local people, as well as redirecting surplus produce to local community food providers.
Picture Credits: Ian Boyd