Citizen science is research that involves non-scientists in the development of projects, data collection or discovery and is peer reviewed in the same way as conventional science. Citizen science has been around for thousands of years, but it has gained renewed attention in recent years. This is partly due to the recognition that citizen involvement in science can accelerate scientific discovery, democratize participation in science and, in some cases, improve or influence decisions made by stakeholders in relation to science. Today, citizen science data is common, although the term is often used interchangeably. For example, most of the data used to understand migratory bird behavior in climate change was collected by the Public. Citizen science in agriculture covers a very wide range of practices. These range from making scientific findings and expertise available to concerned groups in society through agricultural extension, to participatory projects where groups and communities collaborate closely with scientists in defining the aim, scope, and methods of scientific research. Citizen science projects actively involve citizens in a scientific endeavor that generates new knowledge or understanding and Citizen science projects have a genuine science outcome. One of the most promising uses of citizen science is providing timely and relevant information to improve the health of the agricultural community. Citizen science approaches allow for data to be collected at large scales and are proven to provide reliable and high-quality scientific data that can be used directly or in combination with broader data-sets. Citizen science generates data that businesses and farmers can use to inform evidence-based decision making. These insights can support the adoption of new ways of working and practices that support positive environmental outcomes.
Using citizen science in agriculture provides a good chance to find sustainable solutions when collaborating between farmers and researchers. However, projects that focus on sustainable agriculture and on citizen science rely on farmers who volunteer their time, energy, and skills. The literature indicates that small-scale farmers lack the capacity to engage and benefit from systematic community-based citizen science projects. On the other hand, large-scale academic researchers need homogeneous controlled studies in order to obtain easy-to-calibrate data and statistically unambiguous results. Citizen science that is related to agricultural practice, and that directly benefits farmers, is especially important when engaging farmers and the agricultural community to adopt more sustainable practices, such as: