Agri-Tech Week 2021: 8th - 12th November 2021
Agri-Tech Week features a mix of in-person and virtual events that are designed to showcase exciting developments in agri-tech.
It is coordinated by Agri-TechE working closely with partners across the innovation ecosystem and aims to provide opportunities to attract new customers and partners and to broker collaborations and international connections.
The Agri-Tech Week 2021 programme includes:
ADAS
Monday: Precision nutrition – strategies to improve nutrient use efficiency
Increasing fertiliser prices and the ambition to achieve net zero have focussed attention on the importance of good nutrient management. This virtual event will showcase technologies and management strategies to maximise crop nutrient use efficiency and includes presentations on:
- Improving Nitrogen Use Efficiency by measuring Additionally Available N from mineralisation – Mechteld Blake-Kalff, Hill Court Farm Research.
- How can fertiliser use-efficiency measures provide a new metric for fertiliser performance? – Clive Blacker, Mag of Ag
- Effect of little and often nitrogen and sulphur application on yield, quality and nitrogen fertiliser uptake of winter wheat – Kate Storer, ADAS
- Practical methods to improve nutrient use efficiency – David Booty, OMEX Agriculture.
- Deciding how much to apply – tools to help – Daniel Kindred, ADAS
Online @ 9:30am – 11am
1 BASIS Point
New Anglia LEP, Lincolnshire LEP and the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority
Monday: Agri-food in the East of England
Opportunities for greater collaboration across the region will be profiled in this event. Hosted by three local enterprise partnerships, it aims to share a new regional perspective on the strengths and assets of the agri-food sector in the East of England.
The event aims to provide a greater understanding of our collective sector strengths and opportunities, and the willingness across the food chain to engage in regional collaborative project. It will include those involved in LEP activities and research and specialist organisations working on agri-food projects.
Online @ 2pm – 3pm
1 BASIS Point
University of Reading
Tuesday: Overcoming barriers to implementation of robotics in soft fruit
Robot Highways will deliver what is widely considered to be the world’s first robotic farm. A fleet of robots will perform a multitude of on-farm functions as one operation, powered by renewable energy. The project aims to ensure industry sustainability by addressing labour shortages, the need for global food production and reduce the environmental impact of the farming sector. The consortium draws together Saga Robotics, the University of Lincoln, the University of Reading, Manufacturing Technology Centre Limited, Berry Gardens Growers, BT, and Clock House Farm.
In this free virtual event there will be an opportunity to gain an update on this exciting project.
This event aims to identify priority solutions to overcome barriers to the adoption of robotics and will include a discussion panel featuring Innovate UK, University of Lincoln and Saga Robotics, as well as views from the grower perspective.
Online @ 10am – 11am
1 BASIS Point
Agri-TechE
Wednesday: REAP Conference 2021: Changing Time(s) For Agriculture
Timing is crucial in agriculture, not just through the cycle of sowing to harvest but also for strategic decision-making such as predicting demand for perishable goods and automation to extend the working day.
The ability to manage and manipulate time is increasing. REAP 2021 will explore the many ways this is happening through advances in technology and breakthroughs in science.
Online @ 9am – 5:15pm
Norwich Research Park
Thursday: Science in Sustainable Agriculture
As extreme events intensify, the need for sustainable agriculture increases. The Norwich Research Park has a strong track record of work in this area over many years. Researchers at the University of East Anglia were among the first to warn of the consequences of global warming several decades ago.
Presentations will cover aspects of zero carbon agriculture, food security, biodiversity, climate resilient crops and disease control.
This virtual event offers a great opportunity to learn about innovations from Earlham Institute, John Innes Centre, University of East Anglia and The Sainsbury Laboratory.
Online @ 9:30am – 12:30 (break at 11am for Remembrance Day)
5 BASIS Points
RNAA
Thursday: Catalyst Farming – Exploring the Collaboration Triangle: people, technology and data
This event will provide a deep dive with Poul Hovesen and Dominic Swan of Catalyst Farming to explore the collaboration of people, technology and data and its impact on enhancing the productive, financial and ecological results of our farming
Catalyst Farming was founded by fourNorfolk farming businesses: Holkham Farming Company, NE Salmon Ltd, Raynham Farms and Salle Farms Company, covering over 7,000 hectares with 700 fields across different parts of Norfolk. It aims to harness the power of data to inform decision-making and to scrutinise, discuss, adjust and monitor current and alternative techniques and varieties.
In-person at Salle, Norfolk @ 2pm – 3:30pm (1:30pm for refreshments)
NIAB
Friday: Carbon avoidance or carbon capture? Which is the best strategy for Net Zero?
This event presents two alternative approaches for achieving Net Zero:
- Carbon avoidance strategies focus on adding value by reusing materials that would otherwise have been sent to landfill or degraded to produce low value material.
- Carbon capture has the aim of storing or sequestering carbon, locking it up in biomass or the soil.
In addition to experts from NIAB there will be contributions from the NFU and organisations including CamBond, a Cambridge-based company that is using agricultural waste such as straw, fruit and vegetables as a replacement for plastics, and InsPro, which is using black soldier flies to convert food waste into animal feed and fertiliser.
The event will finish with a discussion about whether the two strategies will result in either true Net Zero or a compromise.
In-person at Park Farm, Cambridge @ 10am – 1:30pm
2 BASIS Points
Use of crop sensing in field vegetable and potato crops – ADAS
REAP Conference 2020: From micro-scape to landscape – innovating at the frontier – Agri-TechE
Technologies to enhance soil monitoring and crop management – AHDB
Crops and non-chemical pest control – genetics, environment and biodiversity – Norwich Research Park
Back to reality? Pushing the boundaries in agri-tech and innovation – RNAA
Soil health and the circular economy; A sustainable future for agriculture – NIAB
Collaborating to drive Agri-Tech Innovation on the NRP – Norwich Research Park
Getting Value from AI in agriculture – Institute for Agricultural Management / University of Lincoln
Developing to Inspire – Rothamsted Research / University of Hertfordshire
REAP conference – Innovating towards One Agriculture – Agri-Tech East
Irrigation and Evaporation – The Latest in Best Practice and Agri-Tech – AHDB
Agri-Tech in Action – Easton and Otley College / RNAA
Agri-Tech Week is a partnership initiative founded in 2014 by Agri-TechE with the Royal Norfolk Agricultural Association.
