As part of the LEGUMINOSE project, Muhammad Riaz is coordinating a growing network of living labs across Pakistan. From working with farmers and students to hosting national and international events, his efforts focus on adapting intercropping to local conditions and sharing results through practical, community-based approaches.
In this interview, he reflects on early results, key challenges, and what it takes to turn research into action.
MR: “I am Prof. Dr. Muhammad Riaz and I serve as the Principal Investigator (PI) of the LEGUMINOSE project in Pakistan at the Department of Environmental Sciences, Government College University Faisalabad (GCUF). I lead the implementation of project activities at the national level, including coordinating living labs and stakeholder engagement. My responsibilities include supervising the intercropping living labs, guiding soil health and microbial studies, managing collaboration with consortium partners, and promoting knowledge transfer to small-scale farmers, students, and local institutions. I also contribute to strategic planning and represent Pakistan in project-wide meetings and activities.”
Looking back…
MR: “As a PI, I have coordinated the establishment of 14 wheat-legume living labs at different sites across Pakistan. Initial results showed positive effects of wheat-pea intercropping on cereal yields. To share these findings and raise awareness, we organised several field days. These events helped introduce intercropping to local communities, encourage knowledge exchange and connect with farmers directly.
Additionally, the living labs are also serving as a space for student involvement and training. Many undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate students are engaged in project activities and working on intercropping-related topics such as soil health and crop productivity.
One highlight has been organizing the first LEGUMINOSE summer school, held in June at GCUF, with over 50 participants and international experts. The summer school combined technical lectures, field visits, and group presentations to deepen understanding of intercropping systems and their role in sustainable agriculture”
…and ahead
MR: “I am currently overseeing the establishment of new living labs with new combinations of millet-soybean and maize-soybean intercropping systems. Moreover, I am managing ongoing data collection on crop yields and soil characteristics and uploading it to the LEGUMINOSE Farming Software to support modelling and remote sensing.
We recently shipped soil and grain samples from the 14 wheat-legume living labs to our project partners in Germany. I am very excited and looking forward to the upcoming cropping seasons that will include more diverse and unique cereal-legume intercropping systems.”
From challenges…
MR: “One major challenge we faced was dealing with crop failures in our living labs due to unfavorable weather conditions, insect attacks, and disease outbreaks – especially in the wheat-chickpea trials. These factors affected crop growth and yield, particularly in central Punjab, making it difficult to collect consistent data.
To address this, we analysed the causes and adjusted our approach: shifting to more regionally appropriate crop combinations, such as wheat-pea and maize-legume. We also increased monitoring efforts, improved pest and disease management practices, and adjusted planting schedules based on local climate patterns. This experience highlighted the need for flexibility in field research and deepened our collaboration with farmers, who provided valuable insights into regional cropping challenges. Through this collaborative process, we were able to maintain progress toward the project’s objectives and improve the design of future living labs.”
…to proud moments
MR: “One particularly meaningful insight from the project was the positive Land Equivalent Ratio (LER) values observed in the wheat-pea intercropping trials. In most of the 14 living labs, LER values exceeded 1, indicatating clear productivity gains. These findings provide strong evidence for the agronomic and environmental benefits of cereal-legume intercropping.
Another proud moment was the enthusiastic farmer participation during our field days, where we shared results and discussed how intercropping could fit into their practices. These interactions highlighted the importance of translating research into practice and underline the value of stakeholder engagement.”
The value of intercropping
MR: “Intercropping provides realistic, research-supported, and field-based evidence that cereal-legume systems can improve farm productivity and land use efficiency. In our LEGUMINOSE living labs across Pakistan, wheat-pea intercropping showed consistently positive results with LER > 1 and improved crop yields.
However, not every combination resulted in equal success. Wheat-chickpea combinations were less suited to our local conditions. But the flexibility and scalability of intercropping make it a promising option, especially under climate stress, rising input costs, and soil degradation.”
Bridging research and practice
MR: “One key lesson I have learned is that while intercropping holds great promise, its success depends on location-specific strategies, farmer involvement, and continuous adaptation. That is why our work does not end with data collection; we are committed to turning our findings into practical solutions for farmers and future research.
For me, the most rewarding component of the LEGUMINOSE project has been engaging with farmers: understanding their challenges, sharing our findings, and seeing their interest in intercropping. It shows that science has the most impact when translated into practical solutions for those who need it the most.”
Muhammad Riaz’s work in Pakistan highlights how intercropping research can be both scientifically rigorous and deeply rooted in real-world farming. From crop trials to farmer dialogues and student mentorship, his approach reflects a commitment to building long-term, locally relevant solutions.