In June 2022, Miller Research was commissioned by the Conservation Farming Trust to provide research support and evaluate a Co-operation and Supply Chain Development project aimed at developing Our Food 1200; a community benefit society, and the Regenerative Alliance of small farmers growing edible horticulture for local markets.  The project ran until June 2023, with the evaluation concluding in July 2023.  

The project was funded by the Welsh Government and the Rural Development Programme for Wales and delivered and managed by the Conservation Farming Trust. The need for the project was closely aligned to several aspects of Welsh Government and regional policy priorities, and it aimed to fill a significant gap in promotion of small-scale regenerative horticulture. Although the project is expected to last 10 years and be rolled out at a pan-Wales level, this evaluation has focused on the progress and delivery, during its first year of existence, on the Bannau Brycheiniog Natural Park and Monmouthshire. 

Miller Research undertook an impact evaluation of the project, guided by a Theory of Change (ToC) approach and involving a mixture of qualitative and quantitative social research methods. The evaluation assessed the project’s governance and strategy, identified both intended and unintended outcomes and impacts, and provided recommendations to ensure the wider programme’s success going forward. Miller Research produced a final report containing the project analysis, value for money assessment and conclusions from the evaluation.