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16 October, 2025

Rome, Italy. The Global Farm Platform (GFP), a pioneering collaborative network of 19 research farms and 28 institutions across six continents in which Rothamsted has played a leading role, has been awarded Technical Recognition status by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in the Sustainable Livestock Transformation, One Health, Animal Health, and Reference Centres category. The prestigious award was presented on 15 October 2025 during a ceremony at FAO Headquarters in Rome, Italy, as part of the organisation’s 80th anniversary celebration and the World Food Forum

The citation recognised the GFP’s innovative approach, which connects cutting-edge research with real-world farming practices to advance global food security, sustainable development, and agrifood systems transformation. This award follows a presentation of the GFP’s reach and impact at the FAO 2025 Global Conference on Sustainable Livestock Transformation earlier this October, delivered by GFP Chair, Dr Jordana Rivero (Promar International and Rothamsted Research).

A hub-and-spoke model for global impact

Launched in 2014, with the Nature paper ‘Steps to Sustainable Livestock’, the GFP’s hub-and-spoke model links research farms (hubs) to serve as regional centres for experimentation and demonstration, while commercial farms and smallholders (spokes) adopt and disseminate locally relevant, economically viable, and environmentally sustainable practices. This model ensures scalable solutions tailored to diverse farming communities worldwide, from smallholder systems in Malawi to dairy farms in the UK. 

The GFP’s initiatives include:

  • Malawi’s Small-Scale Livestock and Livelihoods Programme, which boosts smallholder incomes by 30–50% through goat auctions and dual-purpose crops
  • Uruguay’s Palo a Pique, enhancing soil fertility through no-tillage and pasture-crop rotations.

These efforts align with FAO’s four betters:

  • better production
  • better nutrition
  • a better environment
  • a better life 

…and the 2025 World Food Day theme, Hand in hand for better foods and a better future.

Rivero and Tiensin
Jordana Rivero, Chair of the GFP at the award ceremony with Thanawat Tiensin, Assistant Director-General, Director of the Animal Production and Health Division (NSA), and Chief Veterinarian at the FAO.
Image removed.
Significance of the recognition

“This FAO recognition reinforces the Global Farm Platform’s role as a global leader in sustainable livestock transformation,” said Dr Rivero. “We aim to foster collaboration across continents, empowering farmers, researchers, and policymakers with innovative, scalable solutions that tackle climate change, biodiversity loss, and food security whilst advancing One Health principles.”

Professor Adie CollinsScience Director at Rothamsted Research, added, “What makes the GFP unique is an integrated and co-ordinated programme at global scale for maximising the outreach of science relevant to sustainable livestock production. The success of the GFP for livestock systems clearly highlights the opportunity to apply global ambition in other farming sectors.

A milestone for sustainable agrifood systems

With over £4 million in funding and a network spanning India’s Silent Valley smallholder dairy cattle system in tropical humid environments to the Rothamsted’s highly monitored North Wyke Farm Platform for temperate grassland (beef and sheep), the GFP aims to drive transformative change in ruminant farming, benefiting farmers, ecosystems, and communities worldwide. Over the last 12 years, the programme has published over 200 scientific articles, initiated more than 15 projects and conducted 35 international workshops. These activities have allowed the partnership to support 15 research internships from countries such as Uruguay, China, Nigeria, Iran, India, Brazil, and Ghana. The GFP is currently also contributing to the Marshal Papworth Programme, working with international students from Africa and Asia. For more information visit www.globalfarmplatform.org

Contacts

Prof. Adie Collins

Science Director

ABOUT ROTHAMSTED RESEARCH

Rothamsted Research is the longest-running agricultural research institute in the world. We work from gene to field with a proud history of ground-breaking discoveries in areas as diverse as crop management, statistical interpretation and soil health. Our founders, in 1843, were the pioneers of modern agriculture, and we are known for our imaginative science and our collaborative approach to developing innovative farm practice.
Through independent research, we make significant contributions to improving agri-food systems in the UK and internationally, with economic impact estimated to exceed £3 bn in annual contribution to the UK economy. Our strength lies in our systems approach, which combines strategic research, interdisciplinary teams and multiple partnerships.
Rothamsted is home to three unique National Bioscience Research Infrastructures which are open to researchers from all over the world: The Long-Term Experiments, Rothamsted Insect Survey and the North Wyke Farm Platform.
We are strategically funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), with additional support from other national and international funding streams, and from industry. We are also supported by the Lawes Agricultural Trust (LAT).

ABOUT BBSRC

The Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council is part of UK Research and Innovation, a non-departmental public body funded by a grant-in-aid from the UK government.
BBSRC invests to push back the frontiers of biology and deliver a healthy, prosperous and sustainable future. Through our investments, we build and support a vibrant, dynamic and inclusive community which delivers ground-breaking discoveries and develops bio-based solutions that contribute to tackling global challenges, such as sustainable food production, climate change, and healthy ageing.
As part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), we not only play a pivotal role in fostering connections that enable the UK’s world-class research and innovation system to flourish – we also have a responsibility to enable the creation of a research culture that is diverse, resilient, and engaged.
BBSRC proudly forges interdisciplinary collaborations where excellent bioscience has a fundamental role. We pioneer approaches that enhance the equality, diversity, and inclusion of talent by investing in people, infrastructure, technologies, and partnerships on a global scale.

ABOUT LAT

The Lawes Agricultural Trust, established in 1889 by Sir John Bennet Lawes, supports Rothamsted Research’s national and international agricultural science through the provision of land, facilities and funding. LAT, a charitable trust, owns the estates at Harpenden and Broom's Barn, including many of the buildings used by Rothamsted Research. LAT provides an annual research grant to the Director, accommodation for nearly 200 people, and support for fellowships for young scientists from developing countries. LAT also makes capital grants to help modernise facilities at Rothamsted, or invests in new buildings.