Farming Innovation Programme - small R&D partnership projects

The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) will work with UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), to invest up to £11million 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:

• develop solutions with the potential to improve overall productivity, sustainability, resilience, and move existing agricultural sectors to net zero
• ensure solutions have positive outputs for farmers, growers or foresters in commercially relevant situations
• develop new agricultural solutions, by collaboration through engagement with end users and the UK research community in the innovation process
• accelerate adoption by ensuring knowledge exchange with the wider sector and other stakeholders

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
• Farming Innovation Programme – small R&D partnership projects (this competition)
• 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 £1million and £3million
• start by 1 June 2022
• end by 31 May 2025
• last up to 36 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
• work with at least one SME

The aim of this competition is to fund industrial research studies developing 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 of farming
• progression towards net zero emissions​
• resilience

Businesses within a supply chain are encouraged to come together as a partnership to solve major challenges or opportunities.

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 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.