Supporting a farmer led transition

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Introduction

The transition to a regenerative farming future is a deep and complex journey.  High levels of motivation, knowledge and confidence are required to successfully put the key principles into practice.  The barriers and journey can be overwhelming, and pioneers can feel isolated. The evidence base is still evolving - it can feel like a leap of faith at times and risks have to be taken.

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All farms and farmers are different and everyone is at a different stage of the journey. While there are a small number of regenerative farming heroes doing great things and leading the way, many farmers in the Cotswolds are taking their first and second steps. 

 

How can we speed and deepen the transition in our region? How can we support those taking their first steps and those that feel isolated? How can we share knowledge and amplify good practice? How can we inspire and facilitate others? How can we build a regenerative community?

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One solution is the high impact regenerative agriculture accelerator programme designed for, and run by, regenerative farmers and advisers in the Cotswolds.

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The Programme

The Regenerative Agriculture Accelerator Programme Cotswolds (RAAPC) is an innovative and intensive programme for local farmers and advisers.  

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Our mission is to accelerate and deepen the adoption of regenerative farming practice and agroecological thinking in the Cotswolds, improving soil health, enhancing biodiversity and building resilience.

 

Specifically we aim to:

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1. Build a confident and innovative agroecological and regenerative farming community in the Cotswolds.

2. Connect pioneers with those taking their first and second important steps.

3. Facilitate high impact peer to peer learning and mentoring.

4. Introduce and share specialist knowledge.

5. Communicate agroecological and regenerative farming principles, practices and stories to a wider audience.

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We successfully ran the first programme for 25 local farmers and advisers in 2024/25.  We ran the programme for a second cohort in 2025/26. These groups continue to meet and develop, building a regenerative community at local level. We now want to build on this adding additional cohorts in 2026, 2027 and 2028.  ​ Participants apply and are selected based on likely benefit and impact.

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Activities

If you engage with the core programme you will benefit from over 120 hours of  learning. 

 

We organise knowledge sharing events for participants throughout the year meeting at least once a month. These events include: 

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• Farm walks on participants farms

• Farm walks on other leading farms

• Introductory and deep dive workshops

• Online webinar sessions

• Agronomy clinics

• The annual Cotswolds Regenerative Agriculture Conference

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Over the last two years we have had sessions with Gabe Brown, Allen Williams, Carolyn Grindrod, Niels Corfield, Tim Williams, Tim Parton, Chris Clarke, Ed Horton, Silas Hedley-Lawrence and Anna Jones to name just a few, exploring a diverse range subjects from soil health, biological farming, Maximum Sustainable Output and regenerative grazing to communication and facilitation. 

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We take our community to relevant shows and events such as the Groundswell Regenerative Farming Festival and the Oxford conferences, and we get subsidised tickets to other events such as the Organic Regenerative Ark Summit. 

 

Participants also benefit from one to one mentoring and advice, and support with regenerative enterprise stacking/land matching from project collaborators Abunda.

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Programme and conference participants recorded our first RAAPC podcast in 2026 with RuralPod Media.  Listen here. 

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We welcome young farmers and advisers to our events and on the programme, working with project collaborators Emergent Generation to help nurture this audience. 

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We are hoping to organise a UK and EU study tour in 2027/28 .

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Not a core participant? A number of the programmes’ key elements and events e.g. the annual conference, are opened up to other farmers and advisers from across the region, engaging a wider audience. Participant's are also encouraged to bring colleagues, family members and peers to some events. 

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Costs

The bulk of the programme is free to participants.  Charges are only made for special events. ​

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Eligibility

The programme is for people who influence the way we manage our land and food system in the Cotswolds region. Participants include land owners, farm managers, farm workers, agronomists, advisers, land agents, policy makers and researchers. If this is you - we would love to hear from you. 

 

All we ask is that you have a thirst for knowledge, an interest in regenerative farming and agroecology, and can commit to meeting up approximately one day per month for a year (don't worry...we do try and avoid organising events in the busiest farming months and we know you wont make every session).

 

Young farmers, advisers and influencers, and those with more experience, are all welcome.  We love a diverse group.

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Bioregional Scale

Participants come from across the Cotswolds bioregion.  Many are involved in their local farmer cluster or facilitated group joining RAAP to focus on agroecology and regenerative agriculture, going deeper. RAAP can be seen as a thematic cluster that overlays and supplements our other farmer led networks. 

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Facilitation

The programme was founded and is facilitated by award winning Cotswold farmer and agroecological advisor, Jonty Brunyee of Conygree Farm.  Additional support and facilitation is delivered by Scott Brown of Future Nature WTC.

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Supporting Other Regions

Are you looking to create a programme like RAAPC in your region? Do you have a farmer or student group that wants to know more about regenerative agriculture and agroecology? Members of our community are available to talk at your event, share lessons learnt and to help foster your next steps.  ​​​​

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Governance & Funding

The programme is hosted and administered by the Cotswold National Landscape (CNL) team. It is funded by the Rothschilds Foundation and a Farming in Protected Landscapes (FiPL) grant from Defra. Additional sponsorship was provided by Regenerate Outcomes in year one. 

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Keeping in Touch

Follow RegenDeep on Instagram and keep an eye on this website as it grows into the hub for all things associated with RAAPC, regenerative farming and agroecology in the Cotswolds.

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If you would like to discuss the programme in more detail please email Jonty at jonathan@conygreefarm.co.uk or phone 07886 305508.

 

If you want to be kept informed of events and other news, please sign up here to the CNL newsletter.

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Apply Now for RAAPC 2026

You can now apply to be one of the 25 participants on RAAPC 2026. 

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To be considered for the core programme we need to know a little about you and how being involved would benefit your regenerative farming future and the Cotswolds. Places are limited and we normally get around 50 applications for 25 places.

 

Please apply here by completing a simple Google Form. It will take you around 20 minutes.

 

Applications close on Friday May 1st 2026 at midday.  Participants will be selected and confirmed soon after.

 

Our start up meeting (attendance is important) will be held on Wednesday 27th May at Conygree Farm (so if you apply - please try and keep this date free). Our first farm walk and soil health workshop will follow in June (dates tbc). We then all go to Groundswell on July 1st/2nd (free tickets available - save the date).

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