Agri-tech in Gloucestershire reaches global platform with a series of international webinars

Agri-tech in Gloucestershire reaches global platform with a series of International Webinars hosted by members of the Gloucestershire Agri-tech Partnership

The global agricultural and rural sectors are undergoing transformational change, with increasing digitalisation and automation. Gloucestershire, as a rural heartland in the UK, sits at the centre of this evolution.

Agri-tech is a key target sector for growth and inward investment in Gloucestershire. It has one of the largest clusters of agri-tech firms in the UK, alongside a strong pipeline of tech-literate students helping to shape the future of the industry. Pioneering agri-tech research and innovation has attracted over £32 million in investment to the county, which offers companies test facilities on working farms and support to commercialise new products.

The Gloucestershire Agri-tech Partnership  launched in September 2022, and whose members are Gloucestershire County Council, The Royal Agricultural University (RAU), Harptury University and College, Campden BRI and the University of Gloucestershire’s Countryside and Community Research Institue (CCRI) its key objective is to work together to promote the local agri-tech opportunity.

A recent visit in January from government officials from the Department of Business and Trade and the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government saw the visitors experience a comprehensive overview of the partners, key assets, academia and commerical opportunities on offer here, it was agreed that a collaborative  series of international ‘Agri-tech in Gloucestershire’ webinars be developed. The webinars primary goal was to promote the ecosystem to target audiences at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office overseas post network , particularly specialist sectorial inward investment officers; other overseas trade desks and interested Foreign Direct Investment businesses.

Two live webinars were hosted  on Wednesday 10 July which featured presentations from the Inward Investment Lead for Food & Drink at the Department of Business & Trade, Research & Innovation teams at the Royal Agricultural University & Hartpury University & College and Phil Clement, Head of Inward Investment at Gloucesterhsire County Council.

The hour-long webinars were well attended with attendees from  18 countries. The presentations included an overview of the UK’s agri-tech industry; a snapshot of the cluster in Gloucestershire, including Farm491, the RAU’s agri-tech incubator and the Hartpury Agri-Tech Centre and the support available to enter the UK market and commercialise new products. The presentations also highlighted the valuable food development, regulation and testing facilites available at Campden BRI and CCRI as the UK’s largest specialist rural research centre.

The webinars culminated with engaging Q&A sessions with many attendees expressing an appetite to find out more. The Partnership also used this opportunity to promote their participation at the  World Agri-tech Innovation Summit in London later in the year and the potential to join an internattional delegation visit to Gloucestershire on 2nd October.

The sessions were recorded, so if you would like to find out more about the sector and access the slide deck and recording, please contact suzie.lew@gloucestershire.gov.uk