These interactive, curriculum-aligned lessons brought farming and science to life in classrooms across the UK, showing how agriculture plays a vital role in tackling climate change and feeding the nation.
Following this year’s British Science Week theme, ‘Change and Adapt’, the live lessons explored how animals and crops have adapted to thrive in their environments and how farmers are using innovation to meet the challenges of a changing climate.
The free lessons took place on 10, 12 and 13 March and across the lessons, children were introduced to inspiring farmers, scientists and food producers, learning how science plays a crucial role in sustainable agriculture.
What did children learn about?
The lessons included:
- Change Champions (KS1): Children joined Lamia, Ruby and Dr Lutfi Radwan on their farm to meet their animals – including chickens, goats and sheep – and learn how farming can help tackle climate change, support biodiversity and reduce waste.
- Amazing Adaptation (lower KS2): Children learned why AHDB lead animal genetics expert Dr Harriet Bunning’s cows are so important for the local ecosystem, went on a soil safari with Dr Samuel Eze from Harper Adams University and learned from flower grower and florist Roisin Taylor about climate-friendly flower farming.
- Amazing Adaptation (upper KS2): Children explored selective breeding and genetic adaptation in livestock and crops, comparing Dr Harriet Bunning’s cows to Zebu cattle from Sparsholt College. They also learned from researcher Emma Dods how the Breed for Ch4nge project is selectively breeding climate-resilient sheep, while plant physiologist Claudia Carvalho explained how plant breeding helps create climate-resistant crops.
“We want to inspire young people to see farming as a future career and to understand where their food comes from."
NFU Vice President Rachel Hallos
Science and farming working hand-in-hand
Throughout all three lessons, children also joined chef Tom Hunt to learn about zero-waste cooking, creating a seasonal and sustainable dish using British ingredients.
A Welsh-language version of the KS2 Amazing Adaptation sessions also took place, featuring NFU members Llyr Jones and Erin McNaught, as well as Breed 4 Ch4nge Project representative Dylan Phillips and Hybu Cig Cymru consumer executive Elwen Roberts.
Resources were made available to teachers alongside the live lessons to enable them to extend the lessons and learn more about how science and farming work hand-in-hand.
Science Farm Live 2025: watch live – see the lessons in action.
Inspiring future careers in farming
NFU Vice President Rachel Hallos said: “To have over 425,000 children take part in our live lessons is incredible. It shows the huge appetite for learning about farming and the science behind food production.
“Agriculture plays a vital role in tackling climate change and ensuring food security, and it’s fantastic to bring these important topics into classrooms in such an interactive way.
“We want to inspire young people to see farming as a future career and to understand where their food comes from. The engagement we’ve seen has been phenomenal, and we can’t wait to build on this success.”
‘Perfectly pitched’
This year marks the fifth year of NFU live lessons. This year’s lessons reached record numbers of students, following on from the 223,000 students who signed up for the first edition in 2021.
One primary school teacher commented: “Perfectly pitched. My class loved it and I now have 24 children all wanting to be a farmer.
“An excellent start to our career related learning as well as being part of science week. An excellent resource – thank you.”
