Projects per year
Personal profile
Biography
With a background in organic horticulture, Judith came to research inspired to seek practical solutions which strengthen the resilience of cultivated ecosystems. She has a particular interest in the phase out of contentious inputs from certified organic systems, to bring them closer to the movement’s founding principle of ecology.
Judith has extensive experience of collaborative European research, to deliver projects including TRUE, AE4EU, AGROMIX, PLANET4B and Agroecology Partnership. She was project manager of Organic-PLUS and in follow-on SCALE-it, is working with farmers and citizens on the feasibility and acceptability of new practices and products for organic farming.
Working alongside farmers, growers and home gardeners, Judith enjoys cocreative research of practicable alternatives to inputs such as plastics and peat. She has worked on living lab methodology and is coordinator of Coventry Agroecological Living Lab (CALL); local growers exploring crop diversification to improve resilience to climate change. Judith is enthusiastic about pollinators, creating bumblebee identification and recording app Blooms for Bees and has contributed to research on ornamental plants at risk of becoming invasive.
Research Interests
Biodiverse agroecosystems: - pollinators, polyculture, agroforestry
Contentious inputs: - peat, plastic, plant protection, anthelmintics, antibiotics
Engaged science: - working with practitioners, industry and citizens
Underutilised crops: - legumes, soft fruit, heritage varieties
Vision Statement
Food is all-encompassing, central to our health, culture, rituals and connection with nature, and should be a source of joy. Whilst many of our global food problems require a political resolution, I am determined that we can also work to devise practical remedies which utilise traditional knowledge, combined with the appropriate application of modern technology.
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
External positions
Honorary Associate, Garden Organic
1 Mar 2024 → …
Steering Group, Great Glen Community WildSpace
1 Dec 2023 → …
Trustee, Wildlife Gardening Forum
1 Mar 2018 → …
Committee member, Stratford-upon-Avon in Bloom
1 May 2013 → …
Keywords
- S Agriculture (General)
- Agroecology
- Agroforestry
- Biodiversity
- Biodynamic farming
- Contentious inputs
- Engaged science
- Food sovereignty
- Indigenous and traditional farming knowledge
- Living labs
- Organic agriculture
- Organic horticulture
- Pollinators
- Scientific communication
- Soil health
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- 1 Similar Profiles
Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
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(SCALE-it) upSCALing Efficient alternatives for contentious InpuTs in organic farming
Schmutz, U. (Principal Investigator), Conroy, J. (Co-Investigator) & Evans, A. (Co-Investigator)
1/05/25 → 30/04/29
Project: Research
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REPAS: REPAS: Co-creating citizen science for reducing plastic contamination of soil in community growing spaces
Rayns, F. (Principal Investigator), Abell, J. (Co-Investigator), Bogush, A. (Co-Investigator), Conroy, J. (Co-Investigator), Hill-Butler, C. (Co-Investigator), Fried, J. (Co-Investigator) & Rosenfeld, A. (Co-Investigator)
1/11/23 → 30/04/24
Project: Research
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Design and Evaluation of Peat-Free Blocking Media
Lennartsson Turner, M. (Principal Investigator), Rayns, F. (Principal Investigator), Schmutz, U. (Principal Investigator), Conroy, J. (Research Assistant), Faedo, L. (Research Assistant) & Foster, G. (Research Assistant)
1/04/23 → 31/03/25
Project: Research
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Agroecology for Europe (AE4EU)
Schmutz, U. (Principal Investigator), Conroy, J. (Co-Investigator), Hilmi, A. (Co-Investigator), Moeller, N. (Co-Investigator), Pimbert, M. (Co-Investigator), Bandakova, T. (Researcher), Binder, L. (Researcher), Burbi, S. (Researcher) & Dinc, S. (Researcher)
1/01/21 → 31/12/23
Project: Research
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Agroecological Living Labs as entry points for transition towards sustainable food systems: a novel framework for the evaluation of living labs at different scales
Rastorgueva, N., Bassignana, C. F., Angarita, E., Fasso, A., Hassink, J., Goris, M., Schmutz, U., Conroy, J., Dinç, S., Wezel, A. & Migliorini, P., 17 Mar 2025, (E-pub ahead of print) In: Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems. (In-Press), p. (In-Press) 34 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile2 Downloads (Pure) -
Characterising the diversity of aubergine landraces in Turkey
Kir, A., Cetinel, B., Cetinkaya, N., Conroy, J. & Schmutz, U., Dec 2022, In: Acta Horticulturae. 1354, p. 79-85 7 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Do heritage varieties of legumes deliver enhanced human and beneficial insect nutrition?
Smith, B., Rayns, F. & Conroy, J., 30 Nov 2021, TRUE-project Case Studies E-book: Facilitating home-grown legumes as the foundation of sustainable food- and feed-systems. Vougeleka, V., Ntatsi, G., Tran, F., Duffy, C. & Ianetta, P. (eds.). European Commission, p. 14 5 p.Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter › peer-review
Open AccessFile154 Downloads (Pure) -
Evaluating the potential of biodegradable films as alternatives to fossil fuel-derived plastic mulches for weed control in an organic field vegetable system
Rayns, F., Conroy, J., Goncalves Geiger, A., Schmutz, U. & Touliatos, D., Sept 2021.Research output: Contribution to conference › Poster › peer-review
Open AccessFile59 Downloads (Pure) -
Extrusion of Different Plants into Fibre for Peat Replacement in Growing Media: Adjustment of Parameters to Achieve Satisfactory Physical Fibre-Properties
Dittrich, C., Pecenka, R., Løes, A.-K., Cáceres, R., Conroy, J., Rayns, F., Schmutz, U., Kir, A. & Kruggel-Emden, H., 10 Jun 2021, In: Agronomy. 11, 6, p. 1185 21 p., 1185.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile20 Citations (Scopus)154 Downloads (Pure)