UK Agri-Tech Centre

The UK Agri-Tech Centre launches today following the merger of Agri-EPI, CIEL and CHAP to create the UK’s largest dedicated agri-tech organisation, driving agri-innovation at unprecedented levels. The UK Agri-Tech Centre, an independent organisation with core funding from Innovate UK, will retain its expert staff and world-leading facilities. It is led by CEO Phil Bicknell and a newly-appointed executive leadership team. Dr. Peter Quinn, chair of the UK Agri-Tech Centre board, said: “One of the major benefits of the new UK Agri-Tech Centre is that we have some of the best people from across the sectors working here and in our networks. Our specialists can use their expertise collaboratively to focus on a solution, creating real-world usable products. “Within ten to 15 years we will have to change our food production and supply chains significantly, but the hardest bit is actually implementing commercial innovation, which can often take five to ten years. It takes endurance and resilience to trial biological work, to work with nature and the seasons which vary from one to the next. We have to focus on the prize. Becoming the UK Agri-Tech Centre increases the scope and speed at which we can work.” Phil Bicknell, UK Agri-Tech Centre CEO said: “We are launching the UK Agri-Tech Centre at a pivotal time: agri-food is the bedrock of the UK’s largest manufacturing sector, a sector which is facing ongoing challenges around volatility, policy upheaval, input costs and environmental sustainability. “The UK Agri-Tech Centre will make the most of the phenomenal opportunity to use science and innovation to lead and guide transformational change for the sector, for the benefit of humanity and the planet.” 👉To stay up to date with the latest news from the UK Agri-Tech Centre, sign up to our newsletter: https://ow.ly/frGb50R6n5h

This week, the UK Agri-Tech Centre team attended an Innovate UK event ISP55 – Sensing Technologies for Digital Agriculture, an insightful one-day workshop bringing together innovators and industry leaders to explore the role of sensing technologies in modern farming. With a focus on precision agriculture, digital farming and sensor technologies, this event provided a platform for our experts Dr Kerry-Lyn McDonald-Howard, Michael Reardon, Richard Round and Henry Dakin to engage in knowledge exchange, networking and explore collaboration opportunities focusing on tackling challenges in UK agriculture. Event highlights: 🟢The UK Agri-Tech Centre’s Agronomy Innovation Lead Dr Alex McCormack delivered a talk on Digital Agriculture: Challenges and Opportunities for Sensing Technologies, highlighting the role of experience, real-time data, precision tools and sensor-driven insights in addressing sustainability, efficiency and productivity challenges, while giving real-life examples through some of our ongoing and completed projects. 🟢A number of sessions exploring state-of-the-art and emerging sensing technologies from industry innovators including UK Agri-Tech Centre members PES Solutions, FOTENIX and AgriSound. 🟢Jonathan Walter from Innovate UK also outlined funding opportunities for businesses looking to develop and commercialise sensor technology in agriculture. Key takeaways from ISP55: 👉Sensing technologies are revolutionising agriculture - From monitoring soil health to tackling livestock, sensors are enabling data-driven decision making, increasing efficiency and reducing environmental impacts. 👉Integration with AI and digital tools is essential to further enhance real-time analytics and automation in farming. 👉Collaboration is key to driving innovation – connecting sensor developers, farmers and agri-tech companies ensures that technologies are designed with real-world applications in mind. ISP 55 provided a fantastic platform to discuss the future of digital agriculture and the role of sensing technologies in shaping a more sustainable and productive farming sector. If you would like to learn more about how we are advancing precision agriculture and digital farming... 📧Email us at: info@ukagritechcentre.com ➡️Visit our website: https://lnkd.in/eEXZAqmA #resilientsystems #intelligentagriculture #acceleratingagritech #agritech #agribusiness

The UK Agri-Tech Centre invites you to a facility tour at Stockbridge Technology Centre on Thursday 13th February 2025. Use this event as an opportunity to view our Advanced Glass House and Vertical Farming Development Centre and some of the STC glasshouse facilities. Network with forward-thinking professionals, innovators, and leaders in the field - whether to exchange ideas, explore potential partnerships, or simply meet like-minded individuals. 👉Book your place here: https://ow.ly/TNUj50UQeQ1 #resilientsystems #intelligentagriculture #acceleratingagritech #agritech #agribusiness

Over the last 10 months, the UK Agri-Tech Centre has been working with the Ministry of Municipalities Affairs and Agriculture and the British Embassy Bahrain on a knowledge exchange and demonstration project to showcase UK agri-technologies to support Bahrain's food security. This has included in-country meetings and interviews with stakeholders across the supply chain in Bahrain, and the development of an in-depth market report summarising key challenge areas and opportunities for technology deployment. This was followed by a knowledge exchange visit whereby representatives from the Ministry of Municipalities Affairs and Agriculture and the British Embassy Bahrain visited the UK to learn about the British agri-ecosystem, develop collaborative UK-Bahrain R&D opportunities and explore how UK capabilities and expertise can help address the food security challenge in Bahrain. During this visit, a pitch day was organised by the UK Agri-Tech Centre whereby UK agri-technologies were invited to showcase their solutions with the opportunity to be selected to demonstrate their technologies in the Ministry of Municipalities Affairs and Agriculture’s incubator in Bahrain. Three technologies were chosen - Polysolar Limited, Ostara and Zayndu Ltd – and this week they have been building and integrating their technologies into the Bahraini incubator, with the support of the UK Agri-Tech Centre and the Ministry of Municipalities Affairs and Agriculture. This has included in-depth training and 1-2-1 support with the technical team at the Ministry of Municipalities Affairs and Agriculture as well as showcasing to the wider industry. The project team also met and presented to His Excellency Eng. Wael bin Nasser Al Mubarak, Minister of Ministry of Municipalities Affairs and Agriculture, His Excellency Alastair Long, UK Ambassador to Bahrain, His Excellency Eng. Asim Abdullatif Abdullah Undersecretary of Agriculture Affairs and Animal Wealth and His Excellency Eng. Mohamed Mirza Al Araibi, Assistant Undersecretary for Agriculture Affairs. ✉️If you want to learn more, email us at: info@ukagritechcentre.com #resilientsystems #intelligentagriculture #acceleratingagritech #agritech #agribusiness Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

Crop diseases are a major challenge for farmers in the UK and globally resulting in reduced crop yield and quality. In the UK, fungicides are the principal tool used to prevent or treat early infection from principally air-borne spores. However, increasingly there is pressure to use these products less, due to concerns over their use. The SprayBot project aims to develop spore-trapping and predictive methodologies, using multispectral imaging to identify infected plants and employing precision applications systems to reduce overall pesticide usage. The project has shown how multiple new approaches and innovations could be used in the future to improve the detection and treatment of crop diseases. 👉Read more here: https://ow.ly/PZAk50UPovA 👉Watch the full video here: https://ow.ly/Y6wX50UPovz #resilientsystems #intelligentagriculture #acceleratingagritech #agritech #agribusiness FOTENIX Newcastle University