UK Agri-Tech Industrial Strategy:
Government and Industry in partnership
28th November 2013
George Freeman MP
Member of Parliament for Mid Norfolk
Chairman of the APPG on Science & Technology in
Agriculture
Contents
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An Industrial Strategy for Agriculture
The Opportunity and The Challenge
The Vision
Leadership: the key players who now have to deliver
The Measures
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The Agri-Tech Catalyst Fund
The Institute for Agricultural Metrics
Innovation Centres
Global Markets
Next steps: timetable
2
UK Agriculture Sector: a major industry
•The Agri-Food supply chain contributes
£96 billion, or 7% of GVA, to the UK
economy
•Agriculture contributes £9 billion to the
UK economy and underpins £26 billion
food and drink manufacturing sector
•The UK is one of the top 12 food and
drink exporters in the world
•UK exported £18 billion of food, feed,
and drink in 2012
•3.8 million employed in agriculture
and fishing supply chains
4
The opportunity
5
The Challenge
6
Science
Food and Farming
Aid/Trade
7
Science
Food and Farming
Aid/Trade
8
Science
Food and Farming
Aid & Trade
9
The opportunity. The Challenge.
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Opportunities
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Inward Investment From Wave
Of Global $ For Ag Sci
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Threats
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Global Population Growth
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Global Climate Change /
Pressure On Resources
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UK IPR / Tech Transfer
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Spin-outs
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Food Inflation
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Competitiveness +
Productivity Of UK Agriculture
Plc
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Static UK Agricultural
Productivity
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Relative Decline Of UK
Applied Science Base
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Emerging Markets

Growth Of Bioeconomy
10
G’s Fresh Produce, Cambridgeshire
11
The Vision
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Better industry links / Leadership UK Ag-Sci
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Significant Inward Co-investment Into UK R+D
 From Global + Industry / Partners
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Boost Global Status of UK Ag Research
 Attract and Train Top Rising Star Researchers
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Better Capture And Commercialise UK IPR
 Technology Transfer /Spin Outs and Start-ups
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Catalyse a Vibrant UK Agri-tech VC Sector
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Support Greater Industry / Research Collaboration And Uptake
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Develop UK Leadership in Science + Metrics Of Sustainability / Ag-informatics
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New Global Collaborations / Trade Links
 Eg; 10 Yr Collaboration With BRICS & Ag Trade/Aid Projects
12
The Agri-tech sector key stakeholders
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UK Research Institutes
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JIC, Rothamsted,
Aberystwyth, IFR, NIAB,
Roslin, James Hutton, Etc
 Levy Boards
 BBSRC
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Global Ag-tech
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Charities
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UK Foundations
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UK: Syngenta,
Row: Basf, Monstanto, Bayer,
Etc
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Gatsby / Hutton Etc
Gates
NGOs
Nutriceuticals:
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UK And Global
Small / Farm Gate
 Processors
 Retailers
Big 6:
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Food Industry
Abbot Nutrition
Unilever
Farming
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Nations
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Brics
Qatar
 EU
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Progressive Leaders:
Velcourt, G’s, Spearhead, Etc
 Family Farms
13
Measures
1.
The Agri-Tech Catalyst Fund
2.
Institute of Agricultural Metrics
3.
Centres for Agricultural Innovation
14
The Agri-Tech Catalyst
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Launched on 9th October 2013
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The Government are investing £70 million through the Agri-Tech
Catalyst, run by through the Technology Strategy Board (in
partnership with BBSRC)
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Strategic aim: to promote innovation and the translation of science
and technology into common practice, thereby furthering the vision
of the Agricultural Technologies Strategy.

The Catalyst will take innovative ideas from any sector or discipline
that demonstrate the potential to advance sustainable intensification
of agriculture and deliver economic impact for the UK Agri-Tech
industry by tackling domestic or international challenges.
The Agri-Tech Catalyst
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£10 million of the Catalyst funding is contributed by DFID
to support the transfer of technology and new products
to developing countries
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The Agri-Tech Catalyst programme supports
collaborative applications only, either business- business
or business-academia. Multi-disciplinary collaborations
are encouraged.
Centres for Agricultural Innovation
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Investing £90 million in a small number of
Centres for Agricultural Innovation over five
years
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These will support advances in sustainable
intensification
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The Agri-Industry will help develop the themes
and priorities for each Centre
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The first Centre for Agricultural Innovation, the
Centre for Agricultural Informatics, will establish
the UK as a world class centre in agricultural
informatics
Institute of Agricultural Metrics
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Informatics is the collation and
application of insights gained
from the study of large
integrated data sets.
It is already starting to deliver
benefits in agriculture across
genetics, economics,
agronomy, and hydrology and
soil science.

The Government will establish
a Centre for Agricultural
Informatics and Metrics of
Sustainability, at an estimated
cost of £10 million. By
developing UK expertise, our
aim is that the Centre will
become a global hub of
excellence. This is the first of
the Centres of Agricultural
Innovation.
18
Agri-Tech Catalyst Fund – Grant Categories
Industrial Research
Early Stage Feasibility Studies
Late Stage Feasibility Studies
Enables the exploration/evaluation
of the commercial potential of an
early-stage scientific idea, through:
To evaluate the technical
feasibility of an idea and establish
proof of concept, through:
Enables the evaluation of proof
the commercial potential of a
scientific application, through:
• Review of research evidence and
application potential in agri-food
production
• Assessment of business opportunity
• Experimental studies to validate
initial concepts
• Scoping for further development
• Experimental evaluation
• Proof-of-concept using plot/field
trials
• Exploration of production
mechanisms
• Prototyping
• Product development planning
and market testing
• Intellectual property protection or
widespread dissemination of
findings
• Review of commercial value of
application in agri-food production
• Proof of business opportunity
• Demonstration studies to validate
application
• Intellectual property protection
• Route to market
• Duration – up to 12 months
• Maximum grant – up to £250K
• Application can be academic or
business-led
• Funding proportion – up to 75% of
total eligible project costs for SMEs;
60% for large companies
•
•
•
•
Duration – typically 3-5 years
Maximum grant – up to £3m
Application must be business-led
Funding proportion – up to 60% of
total eligible project costs for
SMEs; 50% for large companies
• Duration – up to 12 months
• Maximum grant – up to £250K
• Application must be business-led
• Funding proportion –
Pre Experimental Development up to 50% of total eligible project
costs for SMEs; 40% for large
companies
Experimental Development - up to
35% of total eligible project costs
for SMEs; 25% for large companies
19
Global Aid & Trade
20
Next Steps
July 2013
August 2013
Sep 2013
Strategy Launched on 22 July 2013
Development of the Agri-Tech Catalyst
First post-launch Leadership Council meeting
Launch of AHDB Agri-Skills Strategy
Autumn 2013
Networking Events to bring together stakeholders around the Centres for
Agricultural Innovations
Open call for the 1st round for the Agri-Tech Catalyst
2014
Beginning process for the Centre for Agricultural Informatics.
Open call for the 2nd round for the Agri-Tech Catalyst