Farming Innovation Programme – small R&D partnership projects

Fund Details

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:

• livestock
• plants
• novel food production systems
• bio-economy and agroforestry

Eligibility

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, and work with at least one SME. Academic institutions and research organisations cannot lead. To collaborate with the lead, your organisation must be a UK business of any size or a UK registered:

• academic institution
• charity
• not-for-profit
• public sector organisation
• research and technology organisation (RTO)

Projects will not be funded that are:

• equine specific​
• wild-caught fisheries
• aquaculture, including algae and seaweed production​
• cellular or acellular production systems, fermentation systems for bacteria, yeast or fungi​
• projects that do not benefit farmers, growers or foresters in England
• dependent on export performance – for example giving a subsidy to a baker on the condition that it exports a certain quantity of bread to another country
• dependent on domestic inputs usage- for example giving a subsidy to a baker on the condition that it uses 50% UK flour in their product

Talk to us today if you would like to apply for this opportunity.