Is connectivity the Achilles’ heel of rural innovation?

This month, we’re thinking about connectivity. Having spent June and July at field-based events, we’ve experienced first-hand how digital infrastructure is still severely lacking on many farms. And the connectivity challenges faced by farmers has never been more apparent.

With thousands of us gathering in rural locations, our usual comms set-up buckles. Instead of texting on the day, we set meeting points ahead of time in preparation for inevitable patchy signal. While in our office we rely on a sophisticated CRM system to log interactions with people, in the field we’re back to pen and paper – because sometimes, that’s the only option that works!

Yet all is not lost… A visit to the 5G open day at one of our member farms – Overbury – offered a glimpse of what’s possible with robust, reliable, rural connectivity.

Overbury’s 5G Testbed

Overbury’s 5G Open Day demonstrated a suite of organisations offering time- and labour-saving agri-tech solutions – each requiring the all-important wireless connectivity to function. The showcase was part of the River Severn Partnership’s 5G Innovation Region (5GIR) project, in collaboration with Severn Trent, designed to demonstrate the transformative potential of 5G and other advanced wireless technologies for various applications including precision farming and remote monitoring and automation.

There are several 5GIRs across the country, with two specifically focused on agri-tech. Each aims to move solutions from proof-of-concept through to mainstream adoption.

Overbury Farms 1,600-hectare estate, selected as a trial site due to its previous installation of fibre to the farm office, served as a testbed for a private 5G network. By building an off-the-shelf infrastructure using existing products, the farm gained a mix of 4G and 5G coverage across both the farmyard and fields. The variety of connectivity options provided for differing on-farm needs.

Unlike public networks, Overbury’s private connection allows for consistent high functionality tailored to their farm. If you’re exploring which connectivity setup might suit your farm, UKTIN’s Connectivity Options toolkit is a useful resource.

For more on Overbury’s trial – and how the project is working on their farm – read their story: 5G Takes Root: trials at Worcestershire ‘Farm of the Future’.

Technologies on display and their ROIs

At the Open Day we were treated to a snapshot of technologies – and their benefits:

• Remote pest trap by METOS uses pheromones to attract pets to a sticky card, and image recognition to monitor pest burdens. When set thresholds are met, Overbury’s Farm Manager, Jake Freestone, receives a phone alert, allowing him to decide about early intervention. The ROI is reduced time scouting for pests, and improved detection accuracy (as a person may overlook a pest or miss infected areas entirely).

• In the farm stream, a couple of water monitors measure nitrates (and other nutrient levels) to understand run off patterns and optimise fertiliser use. However, the tech trials face a familiar on-farm challenge: unpredictable weather. With only one rain event since installation, the difficulties of trialling agri-tech – and giving reliable ROIs – are clear.

• Ultrasound silo tank sensors provide evidence of liquid product deliveries, monitor stock levels, and flag potential theft. Long term, you can imagine this tech enabling smart and automated payments on delivery. Using the same sensors, we saw water level monitoring in animal troughs saving manual checks and supporting animal welfare.

• We also saw autonomous drone technology, used to detect nesting birds via heat signatures, supporting biodiversity monitoring and regulatory compliance. More details in this video: It’s all a bit James Bond, isn’t it?

Connectivity investment: if you build it, tech will come

It was energising to be out on an innovative farm seeing the potential of technology in practice – and a happy reminder of the benefits of meaningful conversations between farmers and technologists.

By showcasing what’s achievable with better connectivity, we can build a stronger case for targeted investment in rural connectivity and demonstrate the real-world opportunities for technology to improve farm operations.

Perhaps by the time Groundswell 2026 rolls around, we’ll be able to share that high-res video straight onto socials!