The government has announced the rollout of a pilot programme to support agri-tech businesses.
In a keynote speech at the World Agri-Tech Innovation Summit in London this morning, Defra secretary Angela Eagle announced plans to launch the AgriScale programme.
She said it would enable businesses to “address specific manufacturing challenges on their startup to scale-up journey”.
It is a new cross-government partnership which includes Defra, Innovate UK, the High Value Manufacturing Catapult partners, the Manufacturing Technology Centre, and Warwick Manufacturing Group.
“This will help to drive accelerated development of new technologies and support growth of this key sector,” said Eagle. “AgriScale represents a new cross-government partnership, powered by the Industrial Strategy and inspired by experience from the automotive sector.”
The programme will begin next month and Eagle said “underlines our commitment to growth”.
Elsewhere in her speech, Eagle said that the government’s Industrial Strategy, launched this summer, would put agri-tech on a level playing field with other tech industries.
“This builds on UK strengths for science and innovation and underlines the importance this government places on this critical sector to support the global need for solutions that can help boost farm productivity and profitability,” she said. “This will also enable greater climate resilience and reduced agricultural emissions.
“The Industrial Strategy is part of a broader approach, not only to drive economic growth, but also to become a world leader in sustainable, healthy food production,” she added.
No comments yet