Overview

The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) will invest up to £28 million in innovation projects through the Farming Innovation Programme delivered in partnership with Innovate UK.

The aim of this competition is to fund collaborative development projects that deliver ambitious, commercially deployable solutions to the challenges associated with soil, water and environmental management in farming and growing production systems.

Through Defra’s investment, this competition will accelerate the development of technologies, practices and services that enhance farm productivity, strengthen environmental sustainability, and improve the resilience of UK agriculture.

Projects that address multiple scope areas and adopt a systems-based approach are particularly encouraged, recognising the interconnected nature of soil health, water quality and wider environmental management. By supporting integrated, whole farm solutions, this competition aims to maximise both environmental and economic benefits, delivering greater impact across the farming sector.

Improved understanding of soil and water systems, enabled by enhanced environmental monitoring, reporting and verification, can help farmers and land managers make more informed management decisions. It can also provide robust evidence of environmental outcomes, supporting participation in emerging nature markets and creating new opportunities to generate value from sustainable land management practices.

Find out more about the Healthy Soils and Water for a Sustainable Environment competition.

About the event

This event is designed to help potential applicants understand the competition, explore ideas and build the collaborations needed to submit a strong application. Join us to:

• hear directly from the funders about the competition and application process
• explore the challenges and innovation opportunities across soil, water and environmental management
• meet businesses, farmers, growers, foresters, researchers and other organisations interested in forming collaborative projects
• share your expertise, pitch a project idea or identify capabilities your consortium needs
• ask questions and receive support from Innovate UK Business Connect

You will need a collaborative project to apply for this funding. The in-person format will provide structured networking and consortium building activities to help you connect with potential partners and develop commercially relevant project ideas.

Make connections with others interested in this competition by joining our Farming Innovation Programme LinkedIn group.

Who should attend?

This event will be valuable for businesses, farmers, growers, foresters, researchers, technology developers, environmental monitoring specialists, data and sensing providers, catchment and water management organisations, and other partners seeking to develop collaborative projects.