A record number of new members have joined Agri-TechE in recent months, further increasing the diversity and geographic spread of its innovation ecosystem. Agri-TechE’s Director of Communities, Becky Dodds, comments that successful business is all about knowing people and sharing knowledge.
She says: “We have found that the farmers at the heart of our ecosystem are deeply committed to building sustainable, productive businesses that will provide food security to future generations. They are open and willing to engage with researchers and technologists that can support them on that journey.
“However, the challenges are complex and need a multi-disciplinary approach, so knowing who to talk to has become the game-changer. As a result, I dedicate much of my time to facilitating connections between people with common interests but very different perspectives.
“Within every organisation there are individuals who are passionate about making change and are able to see the opportunity to apply new technologies or new approaches to solve problems. It is those people we look for and introduce them to others with mutual interests.”
Ecosystems driving innovation
Ecosystems are internationally recognised as a way to accelerate and de-risk innovation by providing access to knowledge, collaborators, early-adopters, and sources of investment.
Recent developments in agriculture – including changes in farming practices in the transition to Net Zero, rapid digitalisation of all processes in the value chain from field to fork, diversification in crops and business models, increasing automation, and growing internationalism – are shared by other industries. Therefore, solutions being adopted by pharma, aerospace and manufacturing will have potential applications within agri-tech.
By introducing non-traditional players to agriculture into its ecosystem, Agri-TechE is facilitating the development of new applications and use-cases.
Becky continues: “Many of the obstacles to agri-tech adoption – interoperability, data analysis and sharing, easy-to-use interfaces, battery life, connectivity – are being tackled in other spheres. Part of our role is framing those challenges within an agrifood context to ensure the conversations are productive.”
Current agri-tech trends
The vibrancy and diversity of the membership can be illustrated with a small selection of recent members, who represent some of the emerging trends that we are seeing.
Regenerative farming uses a soil first strategy to increase crop resilience while reducing inputs such as inorganic fertiliser. A number of farmers are adopting this approach and supporting each other. New member, Goodley Farm Services, is using learning points from its own journey to diversify the farm business and create a cooperative with other farmers.
Carbon management is opening up as another revenue opportunity for farmers. Underpining this is the need for verified measurements of soil organic carbon. Ecometric has gained independent verification for its approach to quantifying an increase in sequestered carbon. This methodology will pave the way for the development of a carbon market and enable farmers to provide evidence needed for the government’s Sustainable Farming Incentive.
Auditing best practice in particular de-risking the business and efficiency improvements. Mandatory legislation coming into force in 2024 is accelerating progress towards Net Zero, but new members Aethr Associates are keen to demonstrate the other benefits that the reporting can offer.
Online markets for low carbon produce. Legislation around reducing carbon emissions in value chains is encouraging food businesses to pay a premium for low carbon produce. Agrasta is establishing an online platform that gives visibility of producers with good credentials to food and beverage companies looking to reach net-zero targets.
Predicting and forecasting – as ecosystems evolve innovation is multidimensional. The move to regen ag is also driving business process change in the agribusinesses that would traditionally provide inputs. Space-tech company Hyperplan, headquartered in France, is using satellite imagery ground truthed by its customers to provide objective information about crop performance and coverage to help inform new business models.
Overcoming resistance in pests. Many soils are rendered unusable for potatoes and other root vegetables due to the build up of nematodes resistant to inorganic pesticides. Members like Ecospray are developing plant protection products that are highly selective to a particular pest’s metabolic processes. It has been working with fellow members Earlham Institute and NIAB to develop a nematode deterrent based on garlic.
Supporting a move to industrial horticulture, it is a pivotal moment for undercover crops as high energy costs and shortage of skilled labour have forced many producers out of business. The current situation and ways forward have been reviewed by new members Camrosh, who are co-authors on a report that shows the potential for the sector to have a bright future, saying that the technologies needed to bring food security are already available
Indeed a good number of Agri-TechE members are developing solutions with Intelligent Growth Solutions (IGS) offering greater automation with its self-contained growth towers; Crystal Heart Salad creating plant plugs that can work with automated planters and Future Biogas offering renewable alternatives to fossil fuels. This is in addition to the work of long term members such as Lettus Grow.
Join the innovation ecosystem
Agri-TechE is an independent organisation funded and led by our members. We welcome industry veterans alongside new-to-ag companies, global conglomerates and family-run farms that together explore cutting-edge research to find innovations to support their businesses.
We offer flexible membership tiers to suit your individual needs. This includes brokered introductions, profile-raising initiatives, connections with international clusters, exclusive market opportunities, and strategic insights to assist business alignment with industry trends.
If you see a synergy with the members mentioned here or would like to discuss membership then do get in touch with Becky.
