Starting a Farmer Cluster
Starting a Farmer Cluster
A Farmer Cluster is a community of farmers in the same region who collaborate to enhance biodiversity and ecological health on their farms. By working together with a facilitator, they can achieve greater environmental benefits on a landscape scale than individual efforts allow. These include improved soil, water, and wildlife conservation, as well as increased knowledge-sharing and innovation among farmers.
Key roles in a Farmer Cluster include the Lead Farmer, who coordinates efforts; the Facilitator, who provides expertise and administrative support; and Volunteers, who assist in data collection and fieldwork. Clusters can be formed by farmers or external organizations, requiring local collaboration, facilitator support, and funding to be sustainable.
Starting a farmer cluster involves identifying a lead farmer who gathers local farmers for an initial meeting to discuss shared goals. The group defines its members, geographic scope, and potential legal agreements. A facilitator is then selected to coordinate activities, seek funding, and provide environmental guidance. The farmers collectively set priorities, assess biodiversity potential, and establish a work plan. Training events, funding sources, and biodiversity monitoring are key components.
To learn more about Farmer Clusters, see our guidelines: Starting a Farmer Cluster (https://zenodo.org/records/8142741) and Managing a Farmer Cluster (https://zenodo.org/records/8142725).
A Farmer Cluster is a community of farmers in the same region who collaborate to enhance biodiversity and ecological health on their farms. By working together with a facilitator, they can achieve greater environmental benefits on a landscape scale than individual efforts allow. These include improved soil, water, and wildlife conservation, as well as increased knowledge-sharing and innovation among farmers.
Key roles in a Farmer Cluster include the Lead Farmer, who coordinates efforts; the Facilitator, who provides expertise and administrative support; and Volunteers, who assist in data collection and fieldwork. Clusters can be formed by farmers or external organizations, requiring local collaboration, facilitator support, and funding to be sustainable.
Starting a farmer cluster involves identifying a lead farmer who gathers local farmers for an initial meeting to discuss shared goals. The group defines its members, geographic scope, and potential legal agreements. A facilitator is then selected to coordinate activities, seek funding, and provide environmental guidance. The farmers collectively set priorities, assess biodiversity potential, and establish a work plan. Training events, funding sources, and biodiversity monitoring are key components.
To learn more about Farmer Clusters, see our guidelines: Starting a Farmer Cluster (https://zenodo.org/records/8142741) and Managing a Farmer Cluster (https://zenodo.org/records/8142725).
Farmer Clusters for Realising Agrobiodiversity Management across Ecosystems (FRAMEwork)
Ongoing | 2020-2025
- Main funding source
- Horizon 2020 (EU Research and Innovation Programme)
- Geographical location
- United Kingdom