Agriculture included in government’s Industrial Strategy

The government has recently set out its ten-year plan to “make the UK the best country to invest in worldwide”, with its new Industrial Strategy highlighting agri-tech as a key area for growth with £200m to target innovation.

The Industrial Strategy includes targeted support for the areas of the country and economy that have the greatest potential to grow, while introducing reforms that will make it easier for all businesses to get ahead.

The strategy targets eight key sectors and technologies that can drive economic growth, with agri-tech highlighted as a ‘frontier’ industry within advanced manufacturing. It also recognises the opportunities for precision breeding as part of engineering biology within the digital and technology sector.

‘Win-win for the nation’

The government has announced it will allocate £200 million for the Farming Innovation Programme (FIP) between now and 2030, offering targeted funding to drive innovation in agriculture.

In addition, a new Agri-Tech Export Accelerator Programme will help high-growth agri-tech businesses identify the best international markets for their products and give them the tools and support they need to succeed overseas and build strong supply chains.

DEFRA confirmed that developments in these areas will help boost the profits of farmers and growers, and improve the sector’s resilience for the future.

Farming minister Daniel Zeichner said that driving innovation and growth in agri-tech is a “win-win for the nation”.

“Not only can we create jobs, strengthen economic resilience and ensure food security is maintained, we can boost the profits of farmers and growers through innovation. The Industrial Strategy, a key part of the government’s Plan for Change, sets out a clear long-term plan for the nation to get Britain’s future back,” he continued.

The UK agri-food chain contributes £147 billion in in economic value to the country. The number of agri-tech start-ups in the UK has increased approximately 40-fold in the last decade, employing more than 30,000, DEFRA said.

The modern Industrial Strategy aims to make the UK the best country to invest in and grow a business — including in agri-tech — by supporting the development and commercial use of new technologies to help farmers grow more food, increase profits, and protect the environment.

‘Harming has the potential to be a key driver in future growth’

The NFU said it lobbied government departments, including the Department for Business and Trade (DBT), to get agriculture included to help boost its value to the country even further.

The union explained that having agri-tech and precision breeding technology as areas of focus within the growth sector plan means there should be greater opportunities for farmers and growers to contribute to the government’s growth agenda, increasing their ability to create jobs, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, boost productivity and drive investment in sustainable food, fibre and energy production.

NFU deputy president David Exwood said: “Since winning the election almost a year ago, the government has repeatedly said it wants to deliver growth. As the backbone of the food and drink industry – the UK’s largest manufacturing sector – farming is in a great position to contribute to this.

“The UK agriculture sector is world-class with innovative and tech-hungry farm businesses. With the right investment, farming has the potential to be a key driver in future growth, and that’s why we have been pushing hard for it to be included in the Industrial Strategy. We already have proposals within our Blueprints for Growth to support the government’s goals and intend to feed these in as part of next steps.

“This focus on agri-tech should help farming businesses become more productive, sustainable and resilient and ultimately deliver even more for the British people and the government’s growth ambition.”

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