Tales of a Nuffield Scholar with Andrew Richardson, Lucia Slack, Natasha Edwards, Peter Green and Sharon May

Today on series two of Tales of a Nuffield Scholar supported by NFU Mutual we continue looking ahead to the 2026 Nuffield Farming Scholarships Conference in Leeds 🎙️ Across this series we’re hearing from scholars who will feature within the conference presentation groups, giving a flavour of the conversations, ideas and experiences set to shape the event 🌍This episode focuses on the presentation group “Strengthening the People Who Shape Our Sector” with Andrew Richardson, Lucia Slack, Natasha Edwards, Peter Green and Sharon May 🌱While many of the previous episodes have focused on crops, livestock, land use and natural resources, this conversation put people firmly at the centre. Across five very different scholarship topics, the common thread was understanding how we support the individuals, families and communities that underpin food, farming and aquaculture every single day 🚜We spoke about mental health, suicide prevention, family wellbeing, succession, identity, leadership and the importance of community. Lucia shared insights from her work as a mental health nurse and her research into suicide within agriculture, while Sharon explored how best to support farming families and the wider networks around them. Both highlighted the importance of trust, connection and tackling the stigma that still prevents many people from seeking support 🌾Andrew brought a completely different perspective from the aquaculture sector, looking at how young people are encouraged into food production industries and what agriculture can teach other sectors about building identity, belonging and strong peer networks. Peter explored the characteristics and behaviours that help farmers successfully navigate change, while Natasha examined how certification schemes can support farmers through transition and create opportunities for more sustainable and profitable systems 🌍One of the strongest themes throughout the conversation was that people matter just as much as policy, technology or production systems. Whether it was strengthening communities, supporting wellbeing, encouraging young people into the sector or helping businesses adapt to change, the discussion repeatedly returned to the importance of relationships and human connection.Without giving away everything that will be shared on stage in Leeds, this episode offered a powerful reminder that the future of farming is ultimately shaped by people, and supporting those people well is essential for the future success of the sector.Thank you to NFU Mutual for their support of this project.Enjoy! 🙂 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.