It may work in the lab but what about the working farm? Over the hedge and comparing notes was one of the earliest forms of networking and is still one of the most effective in agriculture …. this year we are revisiting the grassroots approach alongside pushing the boundaries of the latest technology to keep the community connected.
Over the last year communications have become increasingly digitalised. It is anticipated that technologies to support the ‘Metaverse’, an entire parallel virtual world, will make it easier in the future to collaborate remotely on tasks and projects without losing that human contact.
However, in the short term, it was probably the intangible human interaction at events and meetings that we have all missed so much over the last year.
Although we are the among the first to embrace technology – we have spent the last two years building the online element of our network and this has allowed us to work with our members both in the UK and across the globe in a time-efficient and low-carbon manner – speed and technology aren’t everything.
Farm net-walking
We’re now entering our ninth year (yikes!) of running the UK’s longest established agri-tech network, and we’re drawing on our experience and learnings of in person, virtual and hybrid to make 2022 the ‘Year of the Member’.
We’re going back to our roots (literally) with a series of farm walks, working with some of our farmer members to see first-hand the deployment of innovation in the field – working where it has been designed to work.
The first of these farm net-walking events is at Upton Suffolk Farms, so please register here and bring your wellies!
Agri-Tech ecosystem comes of age
The benefits of the ecosystem approach to supporting innovation is increasingly evident. Introducing non-traditional players into agriculture provides fresh insights and opportunities and increasingly we are seeing the fruits of such collaborations between members.
The International Cafe at REAP showed there are shared challenges the world over, translating into global markets for technology that has been stress tested in the field.
Increasing member benefit
The Agri-TechE team has been reflecting on how its network can be leveraged to provide greater benefit to members.
You’ll be seeing some changes over the coming months – no spoilers but expect a new look website, greater functionality for members and some new events and opportunities alongside our existing activities.
As we continue to invest the infrastructure of our network we want our members to connect into the system in whichever way suits you best – online, at an event, or even in a field of onions!
See you there.