Nine projects across Mid and North Wales backed to tackle productivity, sustainability and food resilience
NINE innovative agri-tech and food-tech projects across Mid and North Wales have secured a combined £2.95 million in funding from Innovate UK, providing a major boost to regional innovation in agriculture and food production.
The funding has been awarded through Innovate UK’s Collaborative Research and Development (CR&D) programme and supports projects forming part of the Agri-tech and Food Technology Cluster for Mid and North Wales. The initiative is designed to drive collaboration between businesses, researchers and delivery partners to address some of the most pressing challenges facing the agri-food sector.
Coordinated by the Cluster Management Organisation led by Growing Mid Wales, and delivered in partnership with Ambition North Wales, M-SParc, AberInnovation, AMRC Cymru, Innovate UK and the Welsh Government, the programme promotes innovation across productivity, sustainability, crop health, packaging and food resilience.
Louise Jones, Wales Manager at Innovate UK, said the awards demonstrated the strength of regional innovation.
“These awards highlight the depth of innovation capability across Mid and North Wales,” she said. “Collaborative R&D funding helps businesses work with partners to reduce risk, accelerate innovation and bring new ideas closer to market.”
The Agri-tech and Food Technology Cluster brings together businesses, researchers and delivery partners to help turn new ideas into practical applications. The agri-tech element of the cluster, managed by M-SParc, supports businesses working in areas such as precision farming, automation and biotechnologies. Meanwhile, the agri-food cluster, managed by AberInnovation, focuses on food manufacturing, processing and sustainability.
Both clusters are guided by a strategic steering group made up of key regional partners to ensure activity is aligned with business needs and long-term growth opportunities across Mid and North Wales.
Among the nine projects receiving funding are developments ranging from rapid livestock disease diagnostics and robotic strawberry harvesting, to seaweed-based sustainable food packaging and the use of Welsh-grown mushrooms to enhance the nutritional value of bread.
Other projects include satellite-linked water quality monitoring systems for farms, digital traceability platforms for Welsh food and drink producers, and the transformation of low-value Welsh wool and invasive bracken into sustainable agricultural products.
Barbara Green, Project Manager for the Agri-tech and Food Cluster Management Organisation of Mid and North Wales at Growing Mid Wales, said the investment would deliver both economic and environmental benefits.
“Together, these projects showcase the ambition, creativity and technical excellence coming out of Mid and North Wales,” she said. “Just as importantly, this investment is being spent in the region, supporting local businesses, researchers and farmers to turn bold ideas into practical innovations.”
Elliw Hughes, Agri-food and Tourism Programme Manager for the North Wales Growth Deal at Ambition North Wales, added: “This investment reflects the value of regional collaboration, supporting businesses to scale innovation and contribute to a more productive regional economy.”
Businesses interested in joining the Agri-tech or Food Technology clusters, or in learning more about future funding opportunities, can find further information via the Growing Mid Wales website.
