New Technology In Agriculture Reports

Agri-TechE Report Calls for Refreshed UK Government Agri-Tech Strategy

Agri-TechE’s “Back to the Future” report emphasizes the need for a refreshed government agri-tech strategy to build on the success of the 2013 AgriTech Strategy.
Dr Belinda Clarke, Director of Agri-TechE. Image provided by Agri-TechE.

Key Takeaways:

  • Call for Action: Agri-TechE’s Back to the Future report emphasizes the need for a refreshed government agri-tech strategy to build on the success of the 2013 AgriTech Strategy.
  • Sector Challenges: The report identifies regulatory lag, investment challenges, scaling difficulties, and a lack of secure revenue streams as key barriers to growth.
  • Climate and Biodiversity Focus: A new strategy should prioritize climate-smart agriculture, biodiversity restoration, and alignment of productivity with environmental goals.
  • Broadening Scope: The agricultural sector’s contributions extend beyond food production, including biofuels, pharmaceuticals, and industrial feedstocks.
  • Technological Opportunities: Innovations in AI, genetic tools, sensors, and renewable energy offer promising solutions for the future of agriculture.

Agri-TechE has called for a refreshed government agri-tech strategy to maintain momentum and address emerging challenges in the agricultural and horticultural sectors. The organization’s newly published report, “Back to the Future,” reflects on the successes of the 2013 AgriTech Strategy while outlining the needs of the next decade to unlock the sector’s potential.

The report, marking Agri-TechE’s 10th anniversary, compiles insights from over 70 contributors, including farming businesses, researchers, investors, and technology developers. It identifies significant opportunities for innovation but also highlights barriers that threaten to slow progress.

The Case for a New Agri-Tech Strategy

According to Dr. Belinda Clarke, Director of Agri-TechE, the 2013 strategy provided a strong foundation for innovation, fostering new ideas and external investment in the sector. However, she stresses that the industry has since evolved and requires a renewed government focus to meet shifting priorities.

“The 2013 strategy engendered a lot of fresh thinking, energy, external investment, and innovation in the agricultural and horticultural sectors,” Dr. Clarke said. “But the sector is now in a very different place and needs new government focus to shape the future of agri-tech to enable it to help the sector meet new priorities.”

These priorities include:

  • Climate-smart agriculture to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
  • Aligning productivity with environmental sensitivity to reverse biodiversity loss and maintain water and air quality.
  • Recognizing agriculture’s broader contributions to the bioeconomy, including ecosystem services, biofuels, and industrial feedstocks.

Dr. Clarke underscored the importance of clear government policies to provide direction and inspire confidence in the sector. “Well-defined, long-term sector strategies can lever private investment and provide a roadmap for innovation success. A new strategy for the next decade is needed.”

Challenges Facing Agri-Tech

While optimism abounds, the report identifies several challenges that agri-tech must overcome:

  • Regulatory Lag: The pace of innovation has outstripped regulatory frameworks, particularly for emerging technologies like biological products. Earlier engagement with regulators is critical to align innovation with compliance.
  • Scaling Solutions: Many agri-tech companies struggle to scale their innovations. Greater government support, such as contracts or subsidies, could help nascent industries overcome these hurdles.
  • Investment Landscape: The sector faces a changed investment environment, with challenges in securing funding for startups and scaling businesses.
  • On-Farm Fatigue: Farmers are increasingly wary of adopting unproven technologies. The report stresses the importance of demonstrating reliability and clear return on investment.

“We need to stop promising farmers that a technology is going to change the world tomorrow,” Dr. Clarke said. “While some farmers are happy to be beta-testers, the majority want reliability and seek solutions that will work the first time.”

Technological Advances and Opportunities

Despite these challenges, the report highlights the rapid advancements in agri-tech over the past decade and the promising solutions on the horizon. These include:

  • Conversational AI: Allowing farmers to query their data and receive actionable insights.
  • Advanced Sensors: Helping growers optimize plant nutrition and performance.
  • Genetic Tools: Enabling breeding of plants and animals with valuable new traits.
  • Renewable Energy Innovations: Ground source heat pumps, anaerobic digestion, and clean energy production on farms.
  • Livestock Wearables: Improving monitoring and management of animal health.
  • Metagenomic Sequencing: Providing deeper insights into plant, animal, and microbial ecosystems.

Dr. Clarke noted that technologies like satellite imaging, GPS navigation, and renewable energy solutions demonstrate how far the sector has come in the last decade. These advances have the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, reverse biodiversity loss, and improve resource efficiency.

The Path Forward

The report concludes that while the agri-tech community is optimistic about the future, a new government strategy is essential to provide the granular clarity needed for transformative innovation. Dr. Clarke stressed the importance of collaboration between stakeholders to address regulatory, financial, and practical challenges in the sector.

“The agri-tech community is collectively very optimistic about the next decade, but a new agri-tech strategy would give the granular clarity to inspire further transformative innovations,” she concluded.

Read the entire report here.

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