The views expressed in this Member News article are the author's own and do not necessarily represent those of Agri-TechE.
Niab will be launching a new strategic plan in 2026 that will ensure the organisation remains at the forefront of translating agricultural innovation into products and services essential for increasing the prosperity and sustainability of farmers and growers throughout the UK.
And as part of this programme the Niab logo is undergoing a refresh. The ‘swish’ and colour remains the same, but the acronym is being retired in its logo form and in text, recognising Niab as our correct company name rather than Niab; it has been 30 years since privatisation and the move away from the original ‘National Institute of Agricultural Botany’.
This autumn there will be a gradual replacement of the old logo, including on our site signage, publications, digital platforms, event materials and presentations.
Niab CEO Professor Mario Caccamo said: “The Niab name and brand is a valuable resource that is evolving with the organisation, whilst still recognising its cultural legacy. This logo refresh will consolidate our work in creating ‘one Niab’, emerging from the various sub-brands, services and organisations that have made up Niab, especially over the past 15 years, and emphasise our new vision, mission and values that drives Niab today, without losing the brand integrity and heritage.”
The views expressed in this Member News article are the author's own and do not necessarily represent those of Agri-TechE.
It’s hard to believe it’s been a whole year since Ceres Research officially launched! What started as a spark of an idea – bridging the gap between research insights and practical farming know-how -has grown into a vibrant hub of technical expertise, knowledge exchange, and community. So, as we blow out the candle on our first birthday cake (yes, there is cake!), we thought it was the perfect moment to reflect on how it all began, what we’ve achieved, and where we’re heading next.
How It All Started
Ceres Research was born out of a clear need: farmers and growers were calling out for independent, data-driven advice to practical farming challenges that didn’t just sit in a lab or a policy paper. They wanted real-world solutions, grounded in science and research, but tailored to the field. With our sister company, Ceres Rural, already offering boots-on-the-ground independent consultancy, we saw the opportunity to complement that by bridging the gap between them and the latest cutting-edge research and industry intelligence.
From day one, our mission was simple: to empower progressive farmers and agri-businesses with the latest science, digital tools, and practical insights. And we’ve stuck to that promise.
What We’ve Done This Year
It’s been a whirlwind! We kicked off with technical events like “Reflect & Project” in Essex, where we unpacked the 2024 harvest and looked ahead to 2025 with a brilliant panel of experts from our Research and Rural teams, including Dr Alexander Setchfield, Jock Willmott, Alice Andrews, and Dr Dannielle Robb.
We have delivered bespoke research projects and consultancy for innovative businesses, bringing new innovations to the forefront of farming and mapping where they sit in the market, to providing non-profits with insight and on-the-ground intelligence on water catchments, and where farmers see the potential for policy to support them. We have also collaborated and partnered with various other organisations on funding opportunities such as Innovate UK ADOPT to trial farmer and grower-led research on farm, and to bring companies (like OptiGene and Timac Agro UK) and their technologies closer to their target audience – the farmer or agronomist– along with independent data validation.
Our membership service launched with a bang, offering monthly digests, podcasts, webinars, and interactive dashboards covering everything from agronomy planning to benchmarking yields, labour and machinery. The Agronomy Club became a regular fixture, with lively discussions on various topics including slug management, BYDV risk, climate modelling, and blackgrass control – plus some brilliant insights from our members and collaborators.
Now, we look ahead to our AgriStrategy Conference. An event that will become a key date in the diary, to look at profitability and productivity in farming – bringing attendees the real cutting-edge insights to maximise the future of farming in the UK. Dr Danni Robb, Research and Knowledge Exchange Assistant, says “Our AgriStrategy Conference takes a brief look back on harvest 2025, but then the theme of the day is looking forwards. Sessions cover viable rotations for 2026 and beyond, the future role of CS and SFI, next generation IPM strategies, data-driven biologicals, the role of technology in future farm profitability, and diversification opportunities. Speakers cover Ceres expertise across the Group from Rural, Property and Research, alongside excellent external speakers too. This is the first of its kind in terms of something so practical, cutting-edge and future thinking; I’m glad to be a part of it!”.
Tim Isaac, CEO, says “It’s incredible to see how far Ceres Research has come in 12 months, from a seed of an idea about bridging the gap between innovation and adoption, to a fully-fledged business which has already become an established name in agricultural research and knowledge exchange. There is already a full service offering for both clients and members from across the agri-food sector which gives a great foundation for further growth and development. Ceres Research is ready and able to help drive the industry forward and the opportunities for the future are both exciting and endless.”
What’s Next?
Looking ahead, we’re doubling down on our strategic priority: to improve the sustainability, profitability, and resilience of farming by harnessing the latest innovations. Dr Alex Setchfield, Research and Knowledge Exchange Manager, says “The need to bring technical and scientific innovation, especially AI-driven solutions, onto farms and into practical use by farmers and growers has never been more urgent. Working with Ceres Rural, we believe Ceres Research is uniquely positioned to bridge the gap between innovation and on-farm adoption, offering a distinctive combination of scientific expertise and practical farming insight.”
We’re committed to helping farmers drive agricultural productivity, while protecting the environment and supporting long-term business resilience. To do so, we’re building out our technical capability, expanding the reach of our service offerings, and continuing to turn research into actionable insights and solutions for our growing number of clients.
We’re also excited to expand our membership community, refine our digital tools, and explore new collaborations -whether that’s with established market players, tech innovators, water companies, or research institutions, ultimately supporting farmers and growers to trial and adopt new approaches on the ground.
And yes, we’re still learning. This first year has been about listening, adapting, and laying strong foundations. Year two? That’s about scaling our impact.
Want to know more or get involved?
If you’re interested in innovation, whether you’re a farmer, grower, agronomist, retailer, institution or tech start-up, and are interested in collaborating with us, why not join us on our journey and reach out by contacting one of the team.
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How open collaboration in agri-tech could help solve the farm profitability puzzle
Agri-TechE Article
Agri-TechE
Access to funding, technology fragmentation, and a misalignment with farmers’ needs are perennial barriers to the adoption of the latest agri-tech, according to industry leaders speaking at Agri-TechE ’s REAP agri-tech conference.
But with new funding like ADOPT and a more open approach to co-developing exciting new technology, farmers attending the event believe it is easier than ever to see the benefits of agri-tech.
With Baroness Minette Batters speaking at REAP about her Farm Profitability Review for the first time since submitting it to Defra, the stark realities that farmers face without direct subsidy support are apparent. She believes that new technology will be needed to help unlock efficiencies and improve profits.
“On the evidence that I have (in the Farm Profitability Review), agri-tech is front and centre of profitability,” said Baroness Batters. “We have got to get research and innovation onto every farm and into every field.
“Two bits of evidence that I have seen for farm profitability are farmers having to have really good control of input costs and farming at scale. To be able to get the latest research hitting on farms is fundamental to improving these.”
Minette Batters delivering keynote address at REAP 2025
Mario Caccamo, Niab, in panel Co-Developing Solutions to Co-Exist
The benefits the UK has of diverse farming systems, soil types and innovative farmers make it an ideal location for agricultural trials. “We need to position ourselves as the world’s go-to place for testing and trialling agri-tech,” said Dr Belinda Clarke, Director of Agri-TechE .
“We are not going to change the world with one start-up or one research project at a time. Let’s pull them together, allowing the farmers to set the challenge,” she added.
Professor Mario Caccamo, CEO of Niab, cited one example in which the UK is pulling ahead of its competitors internationally, thanks to post-Brexit legislative changes. The Precision Breeding Act comes into force this month. It allows precision-bred crop varieties to be sold in England for human and livestock consumption, subject to individual approval from the Food Standards Agency (FSA).
He said that this has already had an impact in the research sphere, with the UK conducting more gene-edited crop trials than the rest of Europe combined this year.
“One key advantage of this (CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing) technology is that it is affordable, and it therefore has the potential to democratise access to it. We expect it to incentivise new ideas and investment in the UK,” explained Professor Caccamo.
Laura Rous, Dennington Hall Farms, in the Farmer Insights panel
Jake Freestone, Overbury Estate, speaking at REAP 2025
What did the farmers and growers think?
Laura Rous from Dennington Hall Farms, a 1,500 Ha arable farm in Suffolk, is in an ADOPT-funded project with Niab and Limagrain and another neighbouring farm, looking at the long-term nitrogen reductions possible from using a legume cover crop mixture.
“We have found it really exciting to be part of the decision-making and problem-solving, building the project out from things I talk about with the farm’s manager, Ryan McCormick, on a day-to-day basis,” said Laura.
“Because our problem of trying to figure out reductions in nitrogen use is one all farmers face, we hope the results we get from this project will be meaningful to not just us but the wider industry.”
Outside of programmes like ADOPT, Jake Freestone, farm manager at the 1,600 ha Overbury Estate in Gloucestershire, said that less formal collaboration with researchers and companies has delivered the same impact for their business. As for him, the two-year funding timeline of ADOPT projects does not always work when he is examining the impact of experiments on a long-term rotation.
“If you are open to opportunity, then it will come,” explained Jake. “Attending events like REAP, making conversations and having a really open mind help. We have the land, the machinery, the ambition and the desire to make changes happen.”
“Working with ideas that are close to commerciality is important for farms. We need to do the final bit of testing, not necessarily always be there for the concept testing.”
For the horticulture sector, these collaborations are challenged by the lack of levy-funded research which Ali Capper, chair of British Apples and Pears, noted. “For apples, we had to rescue our research and development,” she said. “The primary focus at AHDB was pest and disease research, which is critical to the industry’s future.”
Ali welcomed the ADOPT programme, despite its administrative burden, noting, “It’s not perfect, but it’s brilliant that we have something farmer-led.”
Ali Capper, Chair of British Apples & Pears, in the Farmer Insights panel at REAP 2025
Harley Stoddart, Defra’s Head of Climate Mitigation Science, giving closing keynote at REAP 2025
Wrapping up the REAP Conference with his closing keynote, Harley Stoddart, Defra’s Head of Climate Mitigation Science, noted several similarities among the technologies on display throughout the day, notably those related to soil biology.
“I can’t help but think how many of these innovations link up to become more than the sum of their parts. The REAP conference is about collaboration and co-existing, and we wouldn’t be able to operate as an industry without doing those things,” Harley concluded.
Top technology to look out for from REAP 2025
The Research in Practice and Start-up Showcase sessions are annual features at REAP that this year allowed seven researchers and eight entrepreneurs to present their technologies to the audience. Here are our top five to look out for in the years to come:
1. Peptides: a 21st-century herbicide?
Peptides are traditionally used as a biostimulant to stabilise yield when a crop is subjected to drought or flooding. However, Dr Nadia Radzman, a biologist at the Sainsbury Laboratory in Cambridge University, is investigating the use of peptides as bioherbicides. She believes that by careful design, their effects can be reversed and used to elicit an extreme stress response in plants.
“At the same time, I am co-applying it with another chemical that is protecting the crops from the bioherbicide,” said Dr Radzman. “This protector RNAi spray makes the crop ‘blind’ to the bioherbicide. So, together, this would be a system that is very cost-effective as a bioherbicide.”
Dr Nadia Radzman, Cambridge University, Research into Practice REAP 2025
Jasper Kaucky, Oko Ag, REAP Start-Up Showcase 2025
2. Navigate funding availability and eligibility with the click of a button
Helping farmers to navigate the complex world of grants and subsidies is the start-up business Oko. It uses geospatial satellite imagery and conversational AI to identify potential funding available to farmers.
The key difference between Oko and other land management software is its ability to scan its database of available funding and provide farmers with options for a particular parcel of land, explained Jasper Kaucky, founding software engineer at Oko. Once identified, the system will assist in applications and manage the actions required by the funds.
In 2026, the team aims to implement a subscription plan that allows farmers to browse their directory, access real-time planning tools, efficiently plan and apply for funding, and estimate their potential earnings.
3. From two weeks to 30 minutes: rapid lab-quality livestock disease diagnostics
Sometimes an innovation arrives that completely transcends the existing standard. That’s the impact of the Tesco Agri T-Jam winner for 2025, ProtonDX. They have developed a farm-portable device which is capable of delivering lab-quality results for a range of livestock – and soon plant – diseases, explained Bob Enck, CEO of ProtonDX.
The system gets a clean sample extraction in the field, which feeds a molecular LAMP-based diagnostic test capable of producing an accurate result in 30 minutes. Compare that to the existing system, where samples are sent to a laboratory and results are often not returned for two weeks. That is an additional two weeks for the disease to spread and for farmers’ losses to accumulate. From this evidence alone, Bob believes ProtonDX’s business case is compelling.
Their initial work has been focused on screening pigs for porcine reproductive respiratory syndrome virus (PRRS) and influenza. PRRS, in particular, is a major challenge for the pig sector. It was the most frequently reported disease issue in pigs over the last six months, and with the potential to lead to infertility in sows, the economic impact can be huge.
ProtonDX is launching the product commercially in the pig sector and is developing poultry, beef, and dairy markets with specific pathogen diagnostics for important diseases in these sectors.
Jakub Dziegielowski, CEO & Founder of Bactery, REAP 2025
Robert Enck, ProtonDX, presenting in the Start-Up Showcase at REAP 2025
4. Could a six-inch soil battery be the most practical on-farm renewable yet?
A six-inch box filled with soil might not look like the future of on-farm energy generation, but that’s precisely what Jakub Dziegielowski, founder and CEO of Bactery, is betting on. Bactery has developed a soil-powered device that captures electrons released by soil bacteria to generate electricity.
With an anticipated lifespan of 30 years and measuring just six by six inches, the battery device is low-maintenance and designed to sit quietly in the ground, offering a low-profile alternative to above-ground renewable energy sources that depend on the wind or sunlight.
Jakub said it could offer a long-term, cost-effective solution for powering sensors scattered across a farm. With trials underway and a hopeful commercial launch planned, Bactery provides a new route to decentralised, soil-based energy.
5. Lupins. What’s not to like?
With >40% protein levels, high digestibility, and the ability to fix nitrogen, there is a lot to like about lupins, according to Dolapo Olawoyin, research scientist at the University of Leeds.
He has been studying the properties of lupins and their potential use in the food chain. The protein levels are comparable to those of imported soy and exceed those of the UK’s main pulse crops, peas and faba beans. Lupins also have a balanced amino acid profile containing all the essential amino acids.
He hopes that his research will stimulate further discussion within the food chain, creating a market for farmers to grow lupins for.
Dolapo Olawoyin, University of Leeds, Research into Practice REAP 2025
Bianca Forte, SugaROx Ltd, in the audience at REAP 2025
Thank you to our REAP 2025 sponsors!
Post REAP Conference blues?!
The annual REAP Conference may be completed for this year, but you needn’t wait until next November… On 28 April we are hosting another Conference NatureTech for Profit and Planet to explore how nature-tech innovation is enabling the delivery, measurement, and monetisation of ecosystem services across the UK’s productive landscapes.
An early-bird price of £100 (ex VAT) is available until 1st February.
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We reveal the Top Eight Innovations in the REAP 2025 Start-up Showcase
Agri-TechE Article
Agri-TechE
The annual Start-up Showcase at REAP is back to highlight innovative new technologies for the agriculture. The 2025 line-up offers a diverse selection of farming solutions, including those focused on soil health, mapping, sustainability, and AI software.
With eight early-stage ventures eagerly presenting their ideas, the audience saw innovative technology across farming sectors, each committed to addressing the challenges faced by the industry.
What advantages might the 2025 Start-up Showcase offer in the coming years?
Tune into life broadcasting below ground
“A healthy soil is a noisy soil,” according to ecologist and Soil Acoustics founder, Andrew Baker. Soil Acoustics brings the well-established ecological monitoring principle of ecoacoustics to the world of agriculture.
Developed following DEFRA Farm Improvement Programme funded research with the University of Warwick, their device uses a probe to record underground movement and analyse the sounds made by soil-dwelling creatures. The result is a rapid, three-minute soil analysis sample – a sharp contrast to traditional worm pits take up to 20 minutes to dig and assess.
Baker says, “A healthy soil is noisy because it has lots of invertebrates moving around. We are measuring this biological diversity of activity using sound as a proxy for soil health.”
“During the research and field trials, we built a substantial database of soil sounds, now over 5000 samples world-wide,” says Baker. “Using that, we’ve created a soil acoustic quality index – an initial metric – to help farmers understand biodiversity levels at their site.”
The technology is already being used to monitor soil health and regenerative practices, with future applications in early pest detection and species-specific acoustic tracking.
Could bacteria-powered batteries be the most practical on-farm renewable yet?
A six-inch box filled with soil might not look like the future of on-farm energy generation, but that’s exactly what Jakub Dziegielowski, founder and CEO of Bactery, is betting on.
Developed after his chemical engineering PhD at the University of Bath, Dziegielowski has developed a soil-powered device that captures electrons released by naturally occurring soil bacteria to generate electricity.
With an anticipated lifespan of 30 years and measuring just six by six inches, the battery device is low-power, low-maintenance, and designed to sit quietly in the ground offering a low-profile alternative to weather-dependent renewables. It’s built for “install and forget” functionality, ideal for powering sensors, valves, and other digital infrastructure in remote or hard-to-wire locations.
“To give perspective,” says Dziegielowski, “that unit in a year generates the amount of energy stored in about 10 of your standard AA batteries. But in the lab, we’ve already built a version six times more powerful – enough to drive lights, irrigation valves, and even heavier-duty applications. In Brazil, for example, we built a soil-powered water purification system for a remote community.”
With trials underway and a hopeful commercial launch planned, Bactery offers a new route to decentralised, soil-based energy, and a fresh angle on what farm infrastructure could look like.
Messium, co-founded by George Marangos-Gilks and Vishal Soomaney Vijaykumar, is using a hyperspectral satellite to track nitrogen levels in crops, offering farmers a way to reduce waste, improve timing, and increase yields.
“The problem” says Marangos-Gilks, “is that a lot of the time, farmers are applying when the crop already has lots of nitrogen in it. Not when the crop is getting deficient.”
Unlike current mapping systems, Messium’s technology can assess the size of any crop to determine whether it is under- or over-fertilised. “We’re using a new type of hyperspectral satellite that understands nitrogen in crops for the first time ever,” says Marangos-Gilks.
The system helps pinpoint when nitrogen should be reapplied for optimum absorption and efficiency, avoiding the common problem of applying too early or too late, which can stunt yields and reduce profitability.
Already working with farmers across the UK, Europe, and North America, Messium is preparing for commercial rollout in partnership with Hutchinsons, Frontier, and AgroVista.
AI is changing the landscape across many industries, and agriculture is no different. Built to help farmers navigate funding, Alexandra Simmons, co-founder of Oko Ag, has designed a tech platform which makes search processes quicker and easier.
Simmons says, “We are looking to simplify how farmers and advisors find, plan and manage ag funding. We’re doing that by building a search platform, centred around a conversational AI, to help people navigate their options and is linked with a set of digital tooling to help them design schemes and manage them”.
“Think WhatsApp meets Google for those who don’t understand ChatGPT and have not yet used the idea of conversational AI.
“But instead of having to search through pages and pages of PDF documents and various websites, you simply ask Oko what you’re looking for. So, whether you’re looking for what government funding you can use to reduce flooding on your land or if there’s any cash available to help you diversify and put solar on, Oko does the research.”
“The previous system required farmers to create their own spreadsheets, download these PDFs, and read through and highlight different options that they found interesting. We’re automating a lot of that. So, you can simply click on a field and see immediately what you can and can’t do”.
After launching a prototype in March, the team hopes to go live this winter, ahead of the anticipated release of Government incentives next summer. In 2026, the team aims to implement a subscription plan that allows farmers to browse their directory, access real-time planning tools, efficiently plan and apply for funding, and estimate their potential earnings.
With 25 years of sugarcane farming in South Africa and nearly a decade of drone spraying experience, Kim Hein is now bringing his expertise to the UK as Drone Operations Manager at SwarmOps.
Hein explains: “Although there are major differences in the UK agricultural sector, our experience translates.”
SwarmOps offers drones that do more than fly – they map, spray, spread, and seed. Each drone carries up to 60 litres of liquid per arm and is built to handle wet weather, avoid soil compaction, and deliver targeted spraying with minimal waste.
The drones also work in conjunction with a mapping system. Mr Hein says, “Once you’ve done all the mapping and you’ve set the parameters, it really is a click and go system.
“The drone looks after itself in terms of its battery capacity, marks its endpoint in the field, returns home for a change of batteries and a refill of the tank. You simply re-click the task and resume, and off it goes again. An almost completely automated process”.
SwarmOps is one of the few UK companies authorised by the Civil Aviation Authority for UAV crop spraying. Their drones are already being used for pest and disease control, fertiliser distribution, and cover crop seeding, with growing interest from regenerative farmers, land managers, and environmental stewards.
“Support farmers and agronomists’ decision-making with soil biological data.”
That’s the mission behind a new machine-learning model that decodes the microbial signals in soil, helping farmers and agronomists make smarter, more targeted decisions.
Starting just three years ago, after the Carbon 13 program in Cambridge, Scott Jarrett and his co-founder combined their agricultural, commercial, and computer science skills to find new solutions for soil biology to create Elaniti.
“We contextualise data,” says Jarrett. “Soil biology in and of itself isn’t necessarily that useful. But when you associate microbial data with soil nutrients, weather, input regimes, and farm management, you start to see how it drives outcomes like yield, nutrient use efficiency, and disease expression.
The technology is designed to be simple, utilising soil nutrient tests and analysing their soil biology in the lab. Once analysed, the results are shared with the farmer/agronomist as a soil functionality assessment, ‘Soil Diagnostics’, flagging disease risks, guiding variety selection, and helping agronomists fine-tune nutrient and disease management plans throughout the season.
“It’s about steering the microbiome in the right direction,” Jarrett explains. “If you know your soil’s disease risk profile, you can choose a more resistant wheat variety. If you understand nutrient dynamics, you can reduce fertiliser use and focus interventions where they’ll have the most impact.”
Elaniti is currently in partnership with Bayer across several European countries and is working with distributors to prepare for UK release.
Around 40% of the earth’s soil has been degraded, with a track to degrading 90% says engineer Lu Afolayan, who is on a mission to support farmers in regenerating the land where extreme weather and prolonged soil wetness has accelerated compaction and prevented machinery use.
Starting at Imperial College London, Lu co-founded Aeropod, climate-responsive soil aeration capsules that activate when soil reaches a critical level of compaction and moisture.
When aeropods are triggered, they aerate and enrich soil, breaking through compaction and restoring oxygen flow, and fully biodegrading to release materials that support healthy soil biology. It’s quite literally groundbreaking.
Climate-proof and time-staggered, farmers plant them once with seeds, and they work all season. The simple process ensures savings on costs, diesel, labour and machinery, Lu says.
Over the next year, the company will conduct on-farm UK trials to collect commercial data to support its ongoing efforts, and Lu is passionate about connecting with more like-minded people.
“Aeropod was created with farmers in the 1st place, and we want to keep that going.”
As this year’s Tesco Agri T-Jam winners, crowned from 130 applications, ProtonDx’s Bob Enck and Elliot Quigley are aiming to supply livestock producers, veterinarians and farmers with rapid portable tests to detect infections in livestock and poultry.
Originating as an Imperial College London spin-out and initially operating within the human health sector, the company employs laboratory quality diagnostic results to identify multiple pathogens in a single test – from virtually anywhere.
Currently, the UK relies on veterinary practices to send samples to a centralised laboratory, which can take about two weeks for vets, producers and farmers to receive results. Dragonfly, ProtonDx’s rapid, portable, molecular platform, provides results in just 30 minutes without leaving the farm.
“That delay in timing is a challenge. To provide an answer, pen side, nearly immediately is innovative for the industry and offers a tremendous amount of value,” says Bob.
“Our tests can handle the extreme temperatures and weather that we have in the UK. Whether it’s Scotland in the winter or southern England in July.” Plus, Dragonfly tests are produced and manufactured in the UK.
Over the last twelve months, ProtonDx has closed several significant partnerships and has recently been awarded a multi-million-pound farming grant.
Going forward, the ProtonDx team is launching their first farm-ready PRRSV and Swine Influenza test and continues to develop tests for a variety of other pig pathogens, as well as expanding to additional livestock species, including tests for other flu strains. They are seeking partners in the cattle and poultry sectors to mirror their work from the pig sector.
The views expressed in this Member News article are the author's own and do not necessarily represent those of Agri-TechE.
Agri-TechE Week 2025 celebrates its 12th year! Our largest yet, featuring 11 events curated by Agri-TechE and hosted by our incredible member community, followed by the REAP Conference on 4th November. This week exemplifies innovation, collaboration, and forward-thinking in agri-tech.
Each event reflects the strength of our ecosystem, showcasing what our community can achieve and bringing together our growers, researchers, and technology developers. A big thank you to our members for hosting – we wouldn’t have an agri-tech week without you and we are very proud to have your membership.
Agrii was pleased to host the recent Agri-TechE Week event at Throws Farm Technology Centre, bringing together delegates from across the agri-tech community to explore emerging innovations that are shaping the future of sustainable farming.
The visit provided a valuable opportunity for knowledge exchange, discussion, and collaboration between researchers, technology providers, and industry practitioners – all with a shared goal of improving productivity, profitability, and sustainability across the sector.
The programme included guided tours of Agrii’s research facilities, where visitors saw a diverse range of projects spanning biological research, adjuvant technology, drone applications, and hyperspectral imaging systems – all designed to enhance the precision, efficiency, and resilience of crop production.
Attendees also explored work within the amenity division, where innovative technologies have potential crossover into mainstream agriculture, highlighting the benefits of cross-sector innovation and knowledge transfer.
A key theme throughout the day was the role of digital connectivity and interoperability in making technology work more effectively for growers. Through RHIZA and the Contour platform, Agrii is helping to integrate data from multiple sources – including soil analysis, satellite imagery, and on-farm observations – to provide a more complete picture of crop performance and support more informed decision-making. This focus on interoperability is critical to ensuring that new technologies complement, rather than compete with, one another to deliver meaningful value on farm.
For Agrii, the event was an excellent opportunity to engage with new and existing contacts, share insights from our in-house R&D and digital platforms, and learn from others across the wider agri-tech ecosystem.
Overall, the event reflected the shared ambition within the Agri-TechE network to accelerate innovation and sustainability in UK agriculture. Hosting the visit allowed Agrii to contribute to that dialogue while demonstrating how research, technology, and partnership can come together to deliver real progress for farmers and the wider industry.
Post Overview
This story has been submitted by an Agri-TechE member.
The views expressed in this Member News article are the author's own and do not necessarily represent those of Agri-TechE.
Agri-TechE Week 2025 celebrates its 12th year! Our largest yet, featuring 11 events curated by Agri-TechE and hosted by our incredible member community, followed by the REAP Conference on 4th November. This week exemplifies innovation, collaboration, and forward-thinking in agri-tech.
Each event reflects the strength of our ecosystem, showcasing what our community can achieve and bringing together our growers, researchers, and technology developers. A big thank you to our members for hosting – we wouldn’t have an agri-tech week without you and we are very proud to have your membership.
Held at Rothamsted Research and led by Georgia Mitrousia, Harnessing Nature: Exploring Carbon Removal Solutions brought together researchers, innovators, and industry stakeholders to explore cutting-edge nature-based approaches for carbon removal and agricultural climate resilience. The event showcased the latest developments in soil carbon science, enhanced weathering technologies, and data-driven land management.
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Tim Field of Carbon Quester opened the seminar session with insights from the Soil Carbon Measurement and Mapping Project, which aims to benchmark soil carbon across 21 soil types using combined wet chemistry and handheld spectral analysis for cost-effective field measurements. He also announced partnerships with Network Rail to explore carbon storage opportunities on railway land, alongside a multi-source financing model engaging utilities and infrastructure investors to support long-term sequestration initiatives.
Professor David Powlson followed with a keynote on Managing Soil Carbon for Sustainability and Climate, emphasizing that while soils hold substantial carbon, their sequestration potential remains limited—offsetting only around 1.5% of annual global emissions. He stressed that soil carbon should complement, not replace, priorities in sustainable food production, with improved nitrogen use efficiency offering faster climate benefits.
Dr Stephan Haefele presented promising findings from enhanced rock weathering trials applying silicate rock dust at 2 tonnes per hectare. Early results indicate potential for both CO₂ capture and improved soil chemistry, suggesting a scalable nature-based removal pathway.
Finally, Dr Jonah Prout demonstrated the Rothamsted Carbon Model, built on 180 years of Broadbalk experiment data, which helps predict long-term soil carbon dynamics and guide realistic sequestration planning.
The event concluded with collaborative discussions and networking, underscoring the importance of integrating science, technology, and finance to advance scalable, nature-based carbon solutions. The event closed with side visits to the Sample Archive, the CT-Scanner and the Analytical Chemistry lab.
Post Overview
This story has been submitted by an Agri-TechE member.
The views expressed in this Member News article are the author's own and do not necessarily represent those of Agri-TechE.
As the agricultural sector faces mounting pressures to boost productivity, cut emissions, and adapt to climate change, we focused the spotlight at this year’s Agri-TechE Week with Agri-TechE on the power of digital information to transform farm management. At Pixalytic’s online webinar alongside ADAS and Lacuna Space, Dr Danni Robb shared insights from Ceres Research which focused on the role of digital data and farm management.
From Data-Rich to Insightful
Modern British farms are awash with data, generated by satellites, sensors, machinery, and farm records. Yet, for many, the challenge is not a lack of information, but how to turn a deluge of numbers into practical, actionable insights. Fragmented systems, inconsistent formats, and limited time often leave farmers “data-rich but insight-poor”.
Integration: The Key to Progress
Danni highlighted the importance of integrating data across physical, agronomic, and financial domains. By bringing together information on everything from soil health and crop yields to machinery use and financial performance, farmers can benchmark their operations, identify gaps, and drive continuous improvement.
Key performance indicators (KPIs) and benchmarking tools are helping farms compare their results with industry standards, supporting strategic planning and day-to-day decisions. This approach is not only improving efficiency but also building resilience in the face of unpredictable weather and market conditions.
Turning Data into Decisions
The real value of digital agronomy lies in transforming raw data into meaningful decisions. Integrated platforms now allow farmers to visualise and analyse data from multiple sources, informing choices on crop management, input use, and climate adaptation. Accurate, traceable data is also increasingly vital for meeting certification and regulatory requirements, such as those set by the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) and Countryside Stewardship (CS) schemes.
Overcoming Barriers
Despite the promise of digital tools, challenges remain. Connectivity issues in rural areas, lack of interoperability between systems, and concerns over data ownership and privacy can all hinder progress. Danni called for simple, localised tools, mobile-first designs, and transparent data-sharing policies. Training and digital literacy are also crucial to ensure technology empowers, rather than overwhelms, the farming community.
Looking Ahead
The future of farming is set to be shaped by improved data management, unlocking new technologies and reducing risk. Artificial intelligence and advanced analytics will increasingly anticipate challenges and suggest solutions, but to summarise the feeling on this, Danni shared a quote she came across: “Algorithms provide the insights; farmers provide the wisdom.”
As Agri-TechE Week by Agri-TechE closes for another year, one message is clear: harnessing digital information is no longer a luxury, but a necessity for the resilient farm.
The views expressed in this Member News article are the author's own and do not necessarily represent those of Agri-TechE.
The All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Science and Technology in Agriculture has published a major report titled Feeding Britain Sustainably to 2050. This report sets out a framework for delivering the 30:50:50 mission: a 30% increase in agricultural output alongside a 50% reduction in farming’s environmental footprint by 2050. The report follows years of fragmented policymaking and limited long-term planning, during which the UK’s food self-sufficiency has fallen by 12% since 2000. With the government preparing to publish its implementation plans for the National Food Strategy next spring, the APPG’s report makes the case for a coherent, joined-up approach to support the future of the agri-tech sector.
The Science and Technology in Agriculture parliamentary group launched the 30:50:50 mission in January 2025 and has worked with organisations and experts across the agricultural sector to assess the barriers businesses face in achieving it. The mission received strong backing from industry, with contributors describing it as ambitious but achievable with the right policy incentives in place.
The report highlights a concern about the level of cross-government coordination on major policy areas such as environmental regulation, land use policies and agricultural innovation, which parliamentarians say risks the UK’s long-term food security. The report suggests three steps the government can take to deliver on the 30:50:50 mission. First, the parliamentary group calls for the government to elevate the importance of food security alongside environmental goals and introduce the 30:50:50 mission. The second step requires the government to develop a National Agri-Data Institute to act as a centralised system for sharing, collating, and analysing data to support evidence-led policymaking. Finally, it urges greater policy alignment across farm support, regulation, and research to ensure that innovation and productivity are embedded at the heart of food and land-use policy.
The government recognises the political importance of food security, with Prime Minister Keir Starmer reinforcing that food security is a matter of national security in the Labour Party’s pre-election manifesto. The party pledged to champion British farming and protect the environment. A year after the election, the government published its Modern Industrial Strategy. This is a 10-year plan to increase business investment and grow the industries of the future in the UK. Agri-tech was identified as a frontier industry and the government set out its objectives and support for the sector in the advanced manufacturing plan. Ministers and officials are keen to collaborate with the sector to accelerate growth and fulfil the sector’s economic potential.
For businesses in the agri-tech sector, this parliamentary report is a welcome signal that politicians recognise the sector’s strategic importance and are thinking about how a long-term strategy can be implemented. By calling for joined-up thinking across regulation, research, and farm support, it outlines how wider government policy can support the growth of the agri-tech sector. The growing recognition of the need for coherence and long-term strategy is encouraging for businesses and investors, as is the wider political and parliamentary engagement around the important topics of food production and security. We strongly encourage businesses to monitor how policymakers respond to the report’s recommendations.
To discuss the parliamentary report or the government’s agri-tech policy, please reach out to Jacob at jacob.walsh@gkstrategy.com
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The views expressed in this Member News article are the author's own and do not necessarily represent those of Agri-TechE.
Welcome to the Ceres Rural Farming Update, a publication that provides independent insights on agricultural issues, from policy and grant funding, to administrative updates and key market information.
For a printer-friendly version, click here. Please consider the environment before printing this publication. A ‘PLUS‘ version of this publication is now available to Ceres Research members, which takes a deeper dive into the key topics covered. With extended analysis, expert commentary, and exclusive content, it’s your essential companion for staying ahead in agriculture.
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The views expressed in this Member News article are the author's own and do not necessarily represent those of Agri-TechE.
In partnership with Grounded Research, we’ve published findings from a new survey showing that while awareness of biostimulants among UK wheat growers is high, confidence in their performance remains low. We believe that stronger regulation is essential to build farmer trust.
Our survey, conducted between April and June 2025, reached 211 UK wheat farmers through Grounded Research’s Five Bar Gate farmer panel and our own network. It explored everything from awareness and usage to purchase channels, price sensitivity, and observed benefits.
As Clare Otridge, Market Research Consultant at Grounded Research noted: “The appetite for innovation is there among farmers, they just lack the confidence in the solutions historically available.” This is one of the most important takeaways from our research.
Key insights include:
Weather variability tops the list of farmers’ challenges. With the last few seasons bringing everything from prolonged dry spells to intense heatwaves, 95% of farmers mentioned weather as a major challenge and 50% expect to use more biostimulants in the next 5 years.
Farmers feel that biostimulants available today offer modest benefits. Farmers who have tried biostimulants rated benefits very low on a scale of five: 2.09 for resilience against abiotic stress, 2.00 for yield gains and 1.88 for better nutrient-use efficiency.
Scepticism towards claims made by companies is a major barrier for biostimulant adoption. Cost-effectiveness was rated 4.37 on a scale of five as a barrier for adoption, unproven performance was rated 4.19 and lack of trusted information 4.19.
The views expressed in this Member News article are the author's own and do not necessarily represent those of Agri-TechE.
A new film showcases how the Crop Science Centre (CSC)’s collaboration with partners in the Global South is pioneering sustainable solutions in agriculture to feed the world and improve lives.
The film will be premiered at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30) taking place in Belém, Brazil in November 2025.
It shows how CSC’s partnerships with breeders and farmers are translating cutting-edge science into real-world impact, with a focus on developing sustainable alternatives to the high-input agriculture on which we currently rely.
The film launch follows the recent CSC International Partnerships event which brought together breeders, scientists, and funders from Africa, Asia, Europe, and the United States. The event celebrated the power of collaboration and reinforced CSC’s commitment to co-creating research agendas that translate discovery science into real impact in farmers’ fields.
“Making global food production more equitable, sustainable and resilient is core to everything we do at the Crop Science Centre,” said Professor Uta Paszkowski, CSC’s Acting Director and Head of the Cereal symbiosis group.
“This film shows how we are harnessing research innovation to strengthen global food security and make sure the benefits of cutting-edge crop science can reach all farmers,” she said.
“Initiatives like the Crop Science Centre are really core to our sustainability goals at Cambridge and our need to connect with international priorities such as at COP30,” said Professor Bhaskar Vira, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Sustainability at the University of Cambridge, who features in the film.
The film has been produced in collaboration with global research consortium CGIAR, as part of their ‘With Science We Can’ campaign – a documentary series exploring how we can achieve a food-secure future through scientific innovation.
Sustainable agriculture using nature’s solutions
Researchers at CSC are working with breeders, scientists and farmers around the world to bring nature’s solutions back into agriculture.
“We believe the solutions nature invented hold the key to sustainable agriculture,” said Professor Paszkowski.
“By studying how plants partner with soil microbes, for example, we can design crops that nourish themselves and reduce dependence on chemical inputs.”
As the world’s population grows and climate pressures intensify, global agriculture faces the urgent challenge of producing more food with fewer resources.
At the same time, ecological and climate change problems like greenhouse gas emissions, water scarcity, environmental pollution are having a significant effect on food production.
“The climate change problem in turn feeds into the food production issue, so it’s basically a vicious circle. This vicious circle especially affects smallholder farmers who have less capacity to adapt to the changing climate and are disproportionately affected.”
“Agriculture today needs to be even more sustainable than ever. It is down to us to come in with innovations to make sustainable agriculture viable and affordable for everybody in need,” she said.
A venture with partnerships at the heart
The film highlights the importance of partnerships with local farmers and breeders to develop a sustainable agriculture and secure tomorrow’s global food production.
“Science has to start with farmers and end with the farmer,” said Dr Pearl Abu, Team Lead for the Maize Breeding Programme at the University of Ghana’s West Africa Centre for Crop Improvement (WACCI), one of CSC’s collaborators to appear in the film.
“We need to develop research in partnership with farmers and engage with them before the research starts.”
Dr Abu is working with CSC’s Cereal symbiosis group who are researching fungal symbiosis with a focus on sustainable agriculture for cereal crops to improve maize and rice growth.
“The partnership between the Crop Science Centre and WACCI is a powerful way of making sure that discovery science reaches farmers who are the ones that need it,” she said.
“Local partnerships are essential for translating our research at the Crop Science Centre into the farmers’ fields. We need those local partners who are on the ground with the farmers to think about how the science is going to be relevant in the field,” said Dr Emily Servanté, Postdoctoral Research Associate at CSC.
Turning ideas into impact
Dr Ousmane Boukar reiterates this message. He is a researcher and breeder at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) in Nigeria, which is a CGIAR partnership member working to address food insecurity, malnutrition and poverty in sub-Saharan Africa.
Dr Boukar is working to develop cowpea varieties that can thrive in heat and tolerate the drought conditions which are increasingly challenging farmers in Northern Nigeria and the West African Sahel. Cowpeas are a vital food source and income generator for millions of people in the region.
“Our partnership with the Crop Science Centre is a powerful example of how global science can meet local needs,” he said.
“Farmers know their soil, their seasons and their community better than anyone else. We are not just transferring technology. We are building resilience. The real impact goes beyond the field. It is about building confidence, trust and scientific capacity in African agricultural systems.”
“Ultimately, we want to create a world where farming is profitable, dignified and resilient and where science truly serves the people who feed us all.”
The views expressed in this Member News article are the author's own and do not necessarily represent those of Agri-TechE.
Agri-TechE Week 2025 celebrates its 12th year! Our largest yet, featuring 11 events curated by Agri-TechE and hosted by our incredible member community, followed by the REAP Conference on 4th November. This week exemplifies innovation, collaboration, and forward-thinking in agri-tech.
Each event reflects the strength of our ecosystem, showcasing what our community can achieve and bringing together our growers, researchers, and technology developers. A big thank you to our members for hosting – we wouldn’t have an agri-tech week without you and we are very proud to have your membership.
ADAS were delighted to host another successful AgriTech Week event this year — ‘Making the Most of Organic Materials’.
We were pleased to welcome arable and livestock farmers, advisors, and scientists to the event last week.
The day featured a fantastic line-up of speakers who shared a blend of research insights, future developments, and practical on-farm experience. Key topics included managing manures on farm, the fundamentals of manure management, improving slurry through separation, converting manures into organomineral fertilisers, crop nutrition, and real-time nutrient management.
It proved to be both an insightful and informative event, offering valuable perspectives on the use of organic materials — an increasingly important focus for sustainable agriculture.
Manures, slurries, biosolids, compost, and digestate all contain essential plant nutrients that can reduce the need for artificial fertilisers. With careful planning and management, their full potential can be unlocked to support both productivity and environmental sustainability.
Attendees commented:
‘A better understanding of the precise way to use these materials and a sense of excitement at the prospects of doing so.’
‘There is much promise in organic materials but much work still to be done in the field.’
ADAS would like to thank all our speakers and attendees for contributing to such a successful and engaging event — and for continuing the conversation around making the most of organic materials for a more sustainable future in agriculture.
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Ceres Research
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