The new challenge from UKRI is expected to help the agricultural sector in achieving zero net emissions by 2040
Image: UKRI announces new funding challenge. Photo: Courtesy of Johannes Plenio/Pixabay
The UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) on behalf of the government has announced a new funding opportunity, which can help farmers in reducing pollution while increasing food production.
The new funding is expected to be necessary to meet the challenge of climate change and get the agricultural sector on a trajectory of achieving net zero emissions by 2040.
The new challenge is expected to use new digital technologies such as sensors, artificial intelligence, machine learning and robotics.
The challenge has been announced under the £90m Transforming Food Production Challenge.
It aims to accelerate the development and adoption of integrated precision approaches to improve productivity in agricultural systems.
The new funding of £20m will be offered to future food production systems
Under the challenge, £20m funding will be offered to future food production systems that have the potential to transform the current methods of production, where both sustainability and productivity are improved. The investment will be made over four years.
Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board chair and UKRI Transforming Food Production advisory group chair Peter Kendall said: “Equipping UK agriculture for the coming century of climate change is one of the biggest challenges facing the sector and the application of the latest technology, including robotics and AI is a major part of the way forward.
“We welcome the government’s current support for innovation in the sector and encourage farmers and other entrepreneurs to look into the offer of funding.”
UKRI Transforming Food Production challenge director Katrina Hayter said: “The UK needs to become more efficient and environmentally sustainable in the food it produces. By harnessing the best of British bright ideas, we can improve productivity, open up new markets and help meet the nation’s ambitious net zero emissions target.
“This competition is a great opportunity to showcase fantastic innovations that will help transform agriculture across the UK.”
The Transforming Food Production challenge is particularly welcome for large-scale ambitious and integrated projects which can demonstrate a project in terms of future food production systems.
New ideas that have won funding under the similar government schemes past include a project to produce a prototype for a soft-fruit picking robot, which would reduce the need for seasonal fruit-picking labour and a project named Tuberscan, which will scan potatoes underground ensuring they can be harvested at the right time.