IFR hails UK agri-tech strategy

The UK’s Institute of Food Research (IFR) has welcomed the UK Government’s agri-tech strategy. The £160m (€183.5m) investment aims to make the UK a world leader in emphasising the pivotal role of science and technology in delivering sufficient nutritious food for all.

The strategy includes £70m to establish an Agri-Tech Catalyst, which will be operated in partnership between the UK’s Technology Strategy Board (TSB) and Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC). The catalyst will help translate fundamental scientific research into the marketplace by helping to reduce the risk of early stage innovation.

Commenting on the announcement, Professor David Boxer, director of the IFR, said: “The Agri-Tech Catalyst is an important step to strengthen public private partnership funding in this sector, to develop its commercial competitiveness. The involvement of both the TSB and BBSRC is welcomed since it is crucial that this fund articulates well with the science base.”

The IFR adds that the agri-tech strategy will align well with the EU’s proposed decision to fund a Knowledge Innovation Community in food, developing products from the technology base to stimulate a new generation of entrepreneurs in this sector. The UK element of this bid is led by the IFR.

Implementing the agri-tech strategy will be overseen by the Leadership Council, which will be composed of representatives from across the food chain. The agri-tech sector employs 3.8 million people in the UK and is worth nearly £100bn to the national economy.