Agri-TechE Director, Belinda Clarke, awarded OBE at Windsor Castle
Agri-TechE Dr Belinda Clarke, Director of Agri-TechE , was awarded an OBE for services to agri-technologies and farming at an investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle on Wednesday, 15 January 2025.
The OBE was announced in King Charles III’s Birthday Honours list last year.
Belinda has led Agri-TechE from its inception, drawing on her experience of scientific research and knowledge exchange with farmers. She has spent a career working at the interface of government, industry and academia.
Belinda comments: “I was delighted to receive this honour from Her Royal Highness the Princess Royal, who really understands farming and agriculture and indeed asked if I had attended the recent Oxford Farming Conference (happily I had!).
“Agri-tech in the UK – and globally – feels ready to move into the next phase of its development and I am very much looking forward to exploring these opportunities with our wider communities.”
Dr Belinda Clarke, OBE receiving award from Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal
Agri-TechE is a membership network that connects farmers and growers with researchers, technologists, entrepreneurs, and investors. Its agri-tech innovation ecosystem is internationally recognised for the quality of the collaborations catalysed and for its role in accelerating the development and adoption of novel technologies.
In addition to her leadership of Agri-TechE , Belinda was a member of the Council of UKRI-BBSRC and a Trustee of the Royal Norfolk Agricultural Association (2015-2021) and is currently a Non-Executive Director of Agrimetrics, formerly one of the UK’s Agri-TechE Centres. She chaired the BBSRC’s Bioscience for Industry panel, and was a member of the Programme Board for the £90m Transforming Food Production challenge.
In 2021 she was awarded the Sir Timothy Colman Prize for “outstanding leadership in the agri-tech sector” and she was among the “Women of the Year 2022” cohort.
Belinda has a first degree in Natural Sciences from the University of Cambridge (Newnham College) and a PhD in plant biochemistry following post-graduate research at the John Innes Centre into starch production by peas and potatoes. She is a Nuffield Scholar, a Fellow of the Royal Agricultural Councils, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Biology, a Chartered Biologist, and a qualified business coach.
“I would like to congratulate Belinda on this richly deserved award. The founding vision of Agri-TechE was to introduce disruptors and new technologies into agriculture, and to bring farmers and tech innovators together to do things differently – and this has been achieved.
“The many agri-tech businesses introduced, supported and promoted through Agri-TechE have been transformational. This wouldn’t have happened without Belinda’s drive, leadership and enthusiasm; she should be incredibly proud of this legacy.”
“Agriculture is the biggest industry in the world, offering potential solutions to some of the most pressing global challenges.
Organisations like Agri-TechE are vital in helping to catalyse the necessary connections and collaborations to accelerate this process.
I have been impressed by the progress and impact made by the Agri-TechE team under Belinda’s leadership.”
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