Dr. Belinda Clarke, Director of Agri-Tech East, writes:
Productive and sustainable
Agri-Tech East believes it is time for a “One Agriculture” approach and this is our theme for REAP 2019. We have long pioneered an “open innovation” approach to agriculture, encouraging and enabling innovations from different sectors to be applied to crop, livestock and countryside management.
The changes facing the UK’s industry, coupled with the global opportunities for sustainable intensification mean the time is right for a more holistic, longer-term, integrated systems approach to achieve better outcomes.
There are examples of best practice in all parts of the industry, from smallholder artisan producers, to large scale farmers feeding global supply chains. Yet the fragmentation, uncertainty and pressures facing the UK’s industry needs unification by knowledge exchange, technology adoption and enabling policies. Approaches, ideologies and beliefs vary, but the common theme is the need to be profitable, productive and sustainable.
This concept will be explored at REAP 2019 as we apply the paradigm of One Health to the industry.
REAP 2019: Innovating for One Agriculture
At the farmer breakfast (invitation only), we’ll be exploring the implications for “One Agriculture” on-farm? We’ll be asking questions such as:
- What does this mean for farmers and how can they embrace the concept?
- What channels of communication and information will be needed, what needs to change?
- Where are the opportunities for One Agriculture to improve the productivity, sustainability and profitability of UK agriculture?
It’s time for “One Agriculture”
One Agriculture brings together technologies, expertise and thinking from different sectors and applications and unifies them for integration into farm practices and adoption by the industry. The keynote speakers, Dr Simon Doherty (President of the British Veterinary Association) and Heleen Prinsen (Southern Dutch Organisation for Agriculture and Horticulture) will share examples of how One Agriculture can work in practice and our Emerging Agri-Tech session will showcase some of the latest research in development and evolving for commercial application.
Agri-tech start-ups to watch
The ever-popular Start-Up Showcase is back and it is bigger than ever. A proven, high-profile platform to help early agri-tech businesses connect with investors, advisors, customers and collaborators, this session introduces some of the UK’s most exciting new enterprises to REAP delegates.
Previous Start-Up Showcase speakers have represented companies such as Hummingbird Technologies, Yagro, fieldmargin, Small Robot Company and PBD Biotech
It has been apparent for a while that upheavals of once-in-a-generation proportions is coming to the sector, leading to changes in the way food is produced, the countryside is managed and research and technology are developed and adopted.
Next Generation given a voice
Our 2019 “Sofa Session” will explore One Agriculture through the lens of the so-called “next generation” farmers, technologies and scientists currently establishing and developing their careers. We will hear the views of some of the UK’s promising young leaders in agriculture, horticulture, technology development and research about how they are innovating for the future in their sectors, the changes they would like to see and their vision for One Agriculture.
As ever we’ll be welcoming a cohort of exciting agri-tech companies with innovations and solutions – last year’s exhibitors are showcased in a short video to give a flavour of what was on offer. Just get in touch to book your stand. Sponsorship opportunities are also available to profile your organisation alongside some of the leading thinkers in the UK’s agri-tech community.
See you there!