Farming Innovation Programme Aims for Progress
The UK’s Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) has announced the availability of over £14 million to drive innovation and foster solutions in the farming sector through two new research and feasibility competitions under the Farming Innovation Programme.
This initiative is part of the government’s commitment to invest £600 million over three years in innovation and productivity in the sector, with a focus on promoting sustainable practices and achieving net zero targets.
Collaborating for Novel Ideas and Solutions
The competitions are open to a wide range of stakeholders, including farmers, growers, foresters, research organizations, and businesses involved in agriculture.
The goal is to encourage collaboration among these diverse groups to bring innovative ideas from the planning stage into practical implementation.
Past rounds of competitions have already led to investments in advancements like automation for improved soft fruit yield, lightweight asparagus-harvesting robots powered by batteries, and the use of ultraviolet as a disinfectant in the dairy and poultry sectors.
Farming Minister Mark Spencer expressed his enthusiasm for the collaborations that these competitions foster, emphasizing that they play a crucial role in driving up productivity and addressing some of the industry’s major challenges.
Small R&D Partnerships: Driving Innovation to Market
Defra has released guidance for the third round of the Small R&D Partnerships competition, which is aimed at assisting businesses in developing new farming products or services and taking them to the commercial market.
This competition, valued at nearly £10 million, is delivered by Innovate UK in partnership with the Transforming Food Production Challenge.
It focuses on supporting early-stage solutions with the potential to substantially improve overall productivity, sustainability, and resilience in farming, while also helping existing agricultural sectors achieve net zero emissions.
Previous successful projects include a study to identify fungal strains that combat insect and fungal pests in wheat crops, reducing costs associated with chemical pesticides and crop yield losses.
Feasibility Studies: Testing and Assessing New Ideas
In addition to the Small R&D Partnerships competition, Defra has also introduced new guidance for the £4.5 million Feasibility Studies competition.
This initiative aims to provide support for businesses and researchers in the initial testing phase of their ideas, helping them determine whether their concepts work in practice and whether they are worth investing in further.
The competition seeks early-stage solutions that have the potential to significantly enhance farming productivity, sustainability, and resilience while advancing the transition to net zero. The selected projects will mark the first stage of research into innovative farming solutions, paving the way for future developments.
Applying for the Competitions
Defra encourages farmers, growers, foresters, research organizations, and businesses are encouraged to read the guidance ahead of applications opening. The Small R&D Partnerships competition opens on 14 August, while the Feasibility Studies competition window opens on 18 September.
Promising Partnerships for UK’s Agrifood Industry
Dr. Katrina Hayter, Executive Director for the Healthy Living and Agriculture Domain at Innovate UK, expressed excitement about supporting the next round of applicants and identifying partnerships that hold the potential to address sustainability, efficiency, and net zero challenges in the UK’s agrifood industry.
Feasibility studies are vital in researching ideas that could revolutionize farming practices, while small R&D partnerships play a crucial role in empowering businesses to create and commercialize novel farming products and services.
Transforming the Future of Agriculture
Since its launch in October 2021, the government’s Farming Innovation Programme has hosted 16 competitions, offering a total of £270 million in funding for industry-led research and development in agriculture and horticulture.
This commitment highlights the significance of innovation in the food and farming sectors, with the government taking active measures to ensure the sector stays at the forefront of adopting new technologies and techniques.
Driving Progress with On-Farm Environmental Resilience
Recently, the government announced a package of support for the farming sector, including the On-Farm Environmental Resilience competition.
This competition, which closed last month, will award up to £12.5 million to projects driving the development of new technology and innovative farming methods, with a focus on practical solutions that can make a real difference on farms.
The selected projects will be notified of the outcome of their applications in the autumn.
Sources: THX News, Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, UK Research and Innovation, & The Rt Hon Mark Spencer MP.
