The UK government has announced £20 million in funding to support the development of farm robots and automated systems for planting, tending, and harvesting crops. The initiative, part of the Farming Innovation Programme, invites agri-tech businesses to collaborate with researchers and farmers to create next-generation automation solutions. The funding builds on a £53 million boost, raising annual investment in farming research to £123 million. Applications are open for projects including livestock monitoring, ornamental plant propagation, and forestry operations. Innovate UK and the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs are partnering on the programme, which aims to address labor shortages and enhance productivity. Companies like Fieldwork Robotics are using the funds to improve commercial robot reliability. The initiative aligns with the government’s pledge to invest £200 million in farming innovation by 2030.
© Crown copyright, 2024, GOV.UK.
Summary adapted from content licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
For details, see https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/.
Original source: https://www.gov.uk/
Made by AI. If you spot anything of concern write us at contact@cybach.com. We’ll promptly correct irregularities.