The Rural Economy and Land Use Programme (Relu), with additional funding from the Natural Environment Research Council, is to fund a Fourth Call for Proposals on the theme of "Adapting Rural Living and Land Use to Environmental Change". We are consulting widely with stakeholders and the scientific community to seek advice on suitable topics and priorities, to help shape the specification for the call.

The Centre for Agricultural Strategy at Reading University undertook a new report in June 2009.

Guidelines for climate-friendly food choices developed by the Swedish authorities in 2009 recommend citizens to reduce their meat and rice consumption as a way of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The first of their kind, the guidelines are now being sent out for reactions and inspiration from other EU countries.

At the end of 2008, the East of England Development Agency (EEDA) commissioned the Low Carbon Innovation Centre to produce a report investigating the potential of biochar as a soil improver and aid to regional agriculture.

This review paper by Muller A., published by the Environment for Development Initiative in April 2009 (funded by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency) concludes that organic agriculture, as an adaptation strategy to climate change and variability, is a concrete and promising option for rural communities and has additional potential as a mitigation strategy.