Agricultural innovation: Farmer-led research to receive starter funding
To increase farmer-led research in the agricultural sector towards net zero, farmers, growers or foresters who have ideas for solving major business problems can apply for funding
Allocated to the Research Starter funding opportunities series within the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs’ (Defra) Farming Innovation Programme. This is delivered by Innovate UK’s transforming food production challenge.
Promoting starter research and farmer-led research
Research Starter projects are small research and development (R&D) projects designed to be an entry point to the innovation process.
This funding reveal is an effort to encourage “farmers, growers or foresters with bold, ambitious, early-stage ideas for solving major problems impacting their businesses” according to the UK Government.
Opening on the 30th of January 2023 and closing on the 8th of March 2023, this third round of the Research Starter funding opportunities follows the excellent response to the previous rounds where farmers and growers identified potential solutions to the real problems they experience via farmer-led research.
“Farmers and growers identified potential solutions to the real problems they experience”
In the first round of Research Starter projects, we funded a range of exciting and innovative projects ranging from digital solutions for vineyard planning to soil benchmarking and automated insect protein for poultry.
Applying for funding
The 2-stage application first requires an expression of interest wherein successful applicants from this stage will be invited to the full-stage application process. Those that receive the full application will be reviewed by independent assessors.
As with previous funding opportunities within the Farming Innovation Programme, the funding asks for projects to demonstrate benefits to farmers, growers and foresters in England.
Creating a farmer-led research proposal
According to the UKRI, the farmer-led research project needs to address a significant industry challenge or opportunity in at least 1 of the 4 industry subsectors:
- Livestock
- Plants
- Novel food production systems
- Bioeconomy and agroforestry
Along with this focus, a potential proposal needs to also investigate new solutions to challenges identified by industry or opportunities for farmers, growers or foresters that have the potential to significantly improve:
- Productivity
- Progression towards net zero emissions
- Resilience
The project must focus on developing on-farm or immediate post-farmgate solutions and technologies.
Find out more about this funding opportunity and how to apply on the Innovation Funding Service.
There will be a briefing webinar to further explain the funding opportunity and how to apply on 1 February 2023 at 10:00am.
Find out more about this event and how to register.
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