UK government launches £13m agri-tech innovation fund

The UK government has launched a new £13 million competition under the Farming Innovation Programme to transition agricultural technologies from laboratory research to practical farm applications. Announced by Environment Secretary Dame Angela Eagle, the initiative is delivered in partnership with Innovate UK.

Selected high-potential projects will receive grants ranging from £1 million to £3 million. The funding aims to support researchers, farmers, and agri-tech businesses in developing products and services that enhance farm productivity, resilience, and sustainability. The program seeks to address industry challenges such as labor shortages, animal health, and crop protection.

Past successes of the program include the development of AI-powered tomato-harvesting robots, the use of hoverflies for natural pest control in berry crops, and the creation of a vaccine to protect pigs against the bacterial infection Streptococcus suis. This latest round is part of a broader investment strategy to strengthen UK food production and drive growth within the agricultural sector.