Speakers explore how commercialisation and adoption of agtech can be simplified to bring earlier advantages to growers and industry.
Agri-tech is essential for food security and sustainability, according to speakers at the recent South West AgriTech Showcase, but one of its main challenges is commercialisation and adoption.
CEO at the Agri-Tech Centres, Phil Bicknell, said: “Agri-tech itself has existed in bubbles. It’s been close to academia or science but it hasn’t fixed the problems that farmers and the industry face. Focusing on the problem, we’re trying to fix much earlier. The viability and the feasibility of technologies will help us effectively accelerate businesses through that growth – taking great ideas, helping them scale up and ultimately roll out.”
This is something that the Satellite Applications Catapult (SAC) works to address. Its Head of Innovation, Joel Freedman, said: “There is a gap between the private sector, the innovators, entrepreneurs, and the end users so we’re trying to build a bridge between them.”
He said the Environmental Space Living Lab (ESLL) is ultimately it’s a place where innovators can test out products and services in the real world. There are facilities available for businesses and end users who are looking to understand more about the technologies and get support in developing them.
The event brought together people from across the agri-tech industry, to showcase technology which could be used to increase productivity and sustainability. More than 140 people attended.
