Farming Innovation Programme - feasibility projects

The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) will work with UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), to invest up to £5.5million in innovation projects.

This funding is part of Defra’s Farming Innovation Programme which is delivered in partnership with UKRI’s Transforming Food Production Challenge.

The aim of this competition is to:

• investigate early-stage solutions that have the potential to substantially improve the overall productivity, sustainability and resilience of farming, and move existing agricultural sectors to net zero
• prioritise solutions that will have positive outputs for farmers, growers and foresters in commercially relevant situations
• accelerate research and development of new agricultural solutions by actively engaging collaboration with the wider UK research community in the innovation process

Your proposal must be able to demonstrate how the project will benefit farmers, growers or foresters in England.

This is one of three competitions:

• Farming Innovation Programme – feasibility projects (this competition)
• Farming Innovation Programme – small R&D partnership projects
• Farming Innovation Programme – research starter pilot – EoI

It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure they are applying to the correct competition for their project.

If you apply to the wrong competition you will be made ineligible and will not be sent for assessment; you cannot transfer your application.

Your project must:

• have total eligible costs between £200,000 and £500,000
• start by 1 May 2022
• end by 30 April 2024
• last up to 24 months
• carry out all of its project work in the UK
• intend to exploit the results from or in England
• have at least 50% of the farmers, growers or foresters involved based in England

To lead a project, your organisation must:

• be a UK registered business of any size,
• collaborate with other UK organisations

The aim of this competition is to fund feasibility studies investigating new solutions that will address major on-farm or immediate post farmgate challenges or opportunities.

Your solutions must significantly improve:

• productivity
• sustainability and environmental impact
• progression towards net zero emissions​
• resilience

Your project must be able to demonstrate how the project will benefit farmers, growers or foresters in England.

Your project must address a significant industry challenge or opportunity in at least one of the four industry subsectors below:

• livestock
• plants
• novel food production systems
• bioeconomy and agroforestry

To discuss your application or find a project partner, contact KTN’s Agrifood team.