The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) will invest up to £13 million in innovation projects, subject to a sufficient number of high quality applications being received. This funding is part of Defra’s Farming Innovation Programme which is delivered in partnership with Innovate UK.
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 project must address a significant industry challenge or opportunity in at least one of the industry subsectors below:
- farmed animals
- plants
- novel food production systems
- bioeconomy and agroforestry
Your proposal must be able to demonstrate how the project will benefit farmers, growers or foresters in England. If your project includes grant funding for farmers, growers or foresters, a minimum of 50% of the total grant amount requested by them in your application must go to England-based farmers, growers or foresters.
This competition has a two stage assessment. If your project is assessed as eligible, you may be invited to present at interview. The selection of successful projects will be decided after interviews.
Our experience from similar competitions suggests that you could have a 15% chance of success.
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To lead a collaborative project your organisation must be a UK registered business of any size. The consortium must contain at least one UK registered micro, small or medium sized enterprise (SME) claiming grant funding on this application. You must be able to evidence that you are an established commercial business, including sole traders and partnerships. (The lead applicant must be registered with Companies House.)
To collaborate with the lead, your organisation must be one of the following UK registered:
- business of any size
- academic institution
- charity
- not for profit
- public sector organisation
- research and technology organisation (RTO)
No single organisation can claim more than 70% of the total project costs.
A business can only lead on one application but can be included as a collaborator in two further applications. If a business is not leading any application, it can collaborate in any number of applications. Academic institutions, research and technology organisations (RTO), charities, not for profits or public sector organisations can collaborate on any number of applications.
Applicants can be from anywhere in the UK, but your proposal must be able to demonstrate how the project will benefit farmers, growers or foresters in England.
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Your project must:
- have total costs between £1 million and £3 million
- last up to 30 months
- be collaborative
- carry out all of its project work in the UK
- intend to exploit the results from or in England
- start by 01 April 2027
- end by 31 March 2030
Any organisation receiving funding must carry out its project work in the UK, intend to exploit the results in the UK, and spend most of the funding within the UK.
No single organisation can claim more than 70% of the total project costs.
If your project includes grant funding for farmers, growers or foresters, a minimum of 50% of the total grant amount requested by them in your application, must be requested by farmers, growers or foresters geographically based in England.
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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 solutions must significantly improve:
- productivity
- sustainability and the 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:
- farmed animals
- plants
- novel food production systems
- bioeconomy and agroforestry
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Innovate UK have released a pre-recorded briefing for this competition: watch the recording and download the slides.
If you would like help to find a collaboration partner, contact Innovate UK Business Connect’s Agrifood team.
Innovate UK's application and funding process
If you need more information about how to apply, please read our funding support pages. For additional support, reach out to our team of innovation experts who are ready to help you navigate the application process and maximise your chances of success.
For more information
Accessibility and Inclusion
Innovate UK welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds and are committed to making our application process accessible to everyone. This includes making reasonable adjustments, for people who have a disability or a long-term condition and face barriers applying to us.