The James Hutton Institute is set to lead a new €6 million project aiming to bring more young people into careers in farming.

Financed by Horizon Europe, an EU funding programme for research and innovation, the project will bring together 15 different partner organisations from across the Europe.

Titled Farm Heroes, the project will use several innovative methods to encourage Europe’s young people into a farming career.

To begin with, researchers will work with groups of young people to better understand how they would like to see farming evolve in future.

They will then train a 'large language model' artificial intelligence to conduct a higher education curriculum review of agricultural training, providing an oversight of how well curricula support this future vision of farming.

Funding

As well as trying to encourage more young people into farming, the project will aim to address a lack of women entering the industry.

The James Hutton Institute is set to receive €1 million in funding for the project, with the remaining funds being shared amongst the other partners.

The project is due to begin in October and will run for four years.

Professor Lee-Ann Sutherland, who will lead The James Hutton Institute's contribution, said: “We are delighted that our proposal has been funded. 

"Enabling a diverse group of young people to enter the sector - and supporting current successors to thrive - is crucial to enabling innovation and resilience in the agricultural sector."