Today we welcome Matt Smee to the R2Kast ๐๏ธ Head of Agricology, a free knowledge hub bringing together practical information for farmers, growers and researchers across the food system. ๐พ
We spoke about Mattโs journey into agriculture, starting in international development in Burma and Thailand before returning to the UK to explore farming hands on. That led into over a decade running small scale organic market gardens, building veg box schemes, supplying restaurants and developing food products, while navigating the financial realities of making that model work long term.
The conversation then moved into Agricology. What it actually is, how the platform brings together information from across different farming approaches, and why avoiding labels and focusing on practical outcomes matters. Matt explained how the organisation has evolved into an independent charity, how itโs funded, and the challenge of keeping knowledge free, accessible and useful for farmers.
We also discussed knowledge exchange more broadly. Turning research into something practical, identifying gaps in information, and creating content that farmers can actually use on farm. The discussion covered everything from technical guides and on farm trials through to the role of collaboration, mentorship and learning from others across the sector.
Enjoy! ๐
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