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Gloucestershire Business News

Farm491 launches AgriTech Season in support of British Farming

Farm491, the AgriTech incubation hub in Cirencester, in collaboration with the Royal Agricultural University (RAU) has launched an AgriTech Season - and the first two events have already been a great success.

The season, taking place from February through to April, will consist of a series of conferences and workshops, with the focal two-day event on 4th and 5th April. The series of events will address topical and critical issues surrounding AgriTech and will assess its fundamental impact on the sustainability of British food and farming.

The first event, How important is soil to food security, now and in the future took place earlier this month and was organised by Masters students at the RAU. The conference was highly interactive, informative and praised as a huge success.

Harriet Housam, studying MSc Agricultural Technology and Innovation at the RAU, said: "The soil and food security conference allowed us to discuss current challenges being faced in the food system, and how we can produce food more sustainably. It was really interesting to learn more about alternative food growing methods, such as shipping container farms, which can produce seven tonnes of vegetables a year per container."

The soil conference was then followed by a second workshop, Preparing Farming for Climate Change.

The next event, taking place on 19th March, will be the BioVoices Motivation & Mutual Learning (MML) Workshop, organised by Minerva. Invitees to the MML include start-ups and SMEs producing a range of AgriTech products, research and development opportunities working on AgriTech innovation, policy and best practice developers and regulators, plus NGOs representing interested civil society groups.

March will end with a two-day workshop, Crossing the Chasm on 28th and 29th

A busy AgriTech Season will come to a close in April with the Insect Conference on 2nd and 3rd co-organised by Farm491 member, Multibox. The first day will address insects for animal consumption and day two will focus on human consumption.

The season will end on a high with AgriTech and the Future of British Farming on 4th and 5th April. The event will feature commercial tech showcases, industry debates, on-farm demonstrations and much more. The event will explore the potential implications of new technologies such as robotics, sensors, digital platforms, indoor farming and innovative integrated systems responding to current on-farm challenges. This is an open event and delegates can purchase tickets for £5 each.

Verity Payne, centre and events manager, Farm491, said: "Agriculture is amid a digital revolution. The industry is facing several uncertainties, and now really is a vital moment in time for the future of British farming. We feel technology has a critical role to play. By supporting agri-business entrepreneurship and helping to develop new skills, AgriTech will help to convert agricultural innovation into commercial success and profit. Incubation hubs such as Farm491 who assist with business growth, idea development and provide crucial mentoring, academic knowledge, practical working space and expert guidance, will be hugely beneficial in facilitating this new wave of farming entrepreneurship for a sustainable future."

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