If you have missed any of our events this year you can catch up by reading one of the reports. These give a great overview of the key points and contact details for speakers to gain more information.
In addition to the report we launched at the House of Lords, we have six new reports from this year that are available free to our members through the publication page.
Here are some of the titles:
Healthy Soils: Waiting for the Worms
It is well established that earthworms are a good indicator of “soil health” but what can farmers do to encourage more earthworm activity in soils? How can worm numbers be increased and measured – and what types of soils attract which types of worms? And how is the world of worms affected by different cropping and management regimes?
This report captures the presentations and discussions of the event, including results of an investigation showing how adding organic matter to soil produces a yield benefit.
Trust, Provenance and Blockchain: Impacts and Opportunities for Agriculture
The internet revolutionised our society by enabling information exchange between individuals across the globe; blockchain technology will have the same global impact, but this time by enabling the exchange of value rather than information between individuals, says PwC’s Patrick Spens, one of the speakers at this event.
Among the benefits of blockchain discussed at this event was how it can offer huge savings to the agifood industry, through reduced back office systems, intermediaries and invoice waiting periods.
Finding the Funding – The Research and Business Guide to Smart Agri-Tech
This report provides a useful overview of the current funding streams available for agri-tech innovation .
Smart Farming: The ‘AI’m of Machine Learning in Agriculture
Can machines be taught to spot diseased crops and weeds and take action to solve the problem? So-called machine learning is already being used to spot patterns and make decisions – in fraud detection, advertising and self-driving vehicles, and it is poised to be the next new decision support tool for agriculture.
This report captures the discussions and insights about the future of the ‘connected farm’ via the Internet of Things – including research looking at how wearable tech is helping to train people to train robots to work more effectively in areas specific to agriculture.
Counting the Cost, Value and Benefits of Natural Capital in Agriculture
“Natural capital” is an attempt to value in economic terms natural resources such as soils, air, waterways and the flora and fauna that live in them. For farmers, the so-called “ecosystem services” that are delivered by these natural resources are a huge part of the living landscape and indeed all farm businesses, but it can be difficult to justify investing in natural capital assets without being able to value them properly and calculate return on investment.
If you are not a member and want to purchase one of these reports then do get in contact.