LIAT in Parliament – Agri Science and Solutions in Focus

As part of Agri-Science Week, a team from the Lincoln Institute for Agri-food Technology (LIAT) and Ceres have been presenting the Agri-Tech Innovation exhibit in the Houses of Parliament between Monday 27 and Friday 31 January.

The event, hosted by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Science in Agriculture (AGGPGSTA), is focussed on robotics and automation, controlled environment agriculture, precision breeding and artificial intelligence.

One of the primary aims of Agri-Science Week is to make agri-science relevant to all parliamentarians, and to connect agri-tech innovation with everyday concerns, from securing affordable food supplies to tackling climate change, safeguarding clean water supplies, improving health and nutrition, and leaving more room for nature.

The Lincoln Institute for Agri-Food Technology , based at the University of Lincoln’s Riseholme Campus, is home to a wide range of specialist research facilities, focussing on robotics, artificial intelligence and crop science, all with the aim of working towards a sustainable future for farming, enhancing agriculture productivity and efficiency.

Professor Simon Pearson, Founding Director of LIAT at the University of Lincoln, said:

“The importance of innovation within agriculture for the future of UK farming cannot be overstated, and we are proud to be demonstrating our research and development on a national stage.

“Agri Science Week is a fantastic opportunity to meet with parliamentarians and law makers in the UK and show them first-hand how vital agri-tech is going to be moving forward.

“We are proud to represent not just Lincoln, but the whole Lincolnshire and Cambridgeshire Region as part of our dynamic partnership with Ceres Agri-Tech.

“The Ceres Agri-Tech programme focuses on the key challenge of translating the science and research from university labs to farmers fields where it can be a key driver for the economy of the UK.”

A collaboration between the Universities of Lincoln, Cambridge, Reading and Herts and East Anglia, Ceres Agri-Tech was funded in 2018 by a £4.8 million Research England award.

Founded by and located at Cambridge Enterprise, the innovation arm of the University of Cambridge, the research by Ceres Agri-Tech aims to increase the sustainability of agriculture, create ongoing food security and reduce the environmental impacts of farming.

Dr Louise Sutherland, Director of Ceres Agri-Tech, said:

“Ceres Agri-Tech is a crucial link that enables world-leading university research from the UK to solve global challenges facing agri-tech and sustainability across the environment and lives.

“Our work is making tangible impact, both in the UK and internationally, and showcases the incredible potential of collaboration and publicly funded research to drive positive change worldwide.”

The Lincoln Institute for Agri-Food Technology and Ceres Agri-Tech exhibited throughout the week in the Upper Waiting Hall in the Palace of Westminster, where they were able to speak to parliamentarians and demonstrate sector-leading research.