Cutting‑edge agricultural technologies – from robotics and artificial intelligence to nature‑based solutions – are set to be rapidly deployed on farms across the UK, following the announcement of around £50 million in public and private investment.
The funding was confirmed today by Farming Minister Dame Angela Eagle, who said the investment will help farmers increase production while reducing costs, labour demands and environmental impact.
The investment will support the development and rollout of up to 12 innovative agri‑tech tools, helping farmers to produce more food, cut labour and energy use, and reduce reliance on fertilisers and chemicals.
The programme is backed by £8 million in government funding, alongside around £40 million in private investment, demonstrating strong confidence in the sector’s growth potential.
Several of the funded projects focus on practical, nature‑based technologies that work with natural systems to protect crops and improve resilience.
One project led by FA Bio is developing a “living” biopesticide, using beneficial fungi to protect wheat and oilseed rape from damaging pests such as aphids and the cabbage stem flea beetle.
Applied at planting, the fungi could provide season‑long protection, reducing the need for repeated chemical spraying while supporting more sustainable pest control.
The investment also supports innovations aimed at improving the resilience of trees and landscapes.
Rhizocore is identifying the most effective native fungal species to help trees:
- Establish more successfully
- Improve survival rates in forestry and agroforestry
- Accelerate carbon capture
- Support woodland recovery
These advances could play an important role in strengthening rural landscapes while contributing to climate and biodiversity goals.
Speaking at the Agricultural Engineers Association Conference, Dame Angela Eagle also announced a further £5 million government springboard funding round for 2026–27.
Opening this spring, the funding will aim to:
- Attract additional private investment
- Support high‑potential agri‑tech businesses to scale up
- Accelerate delivery of innovations that work for farmers
Dame Angela Eagle, Farming Minister, said:
“Farmers know the right tools can make all the difference.
“This investment is about getting practical, proven technology into their hands faster – whether that’s improving animal health, cutting costs, or making day-to-day jobs easier.
“By backing innovation with both public and private funding, we’re supporting farm businesses to boost productivity, strengthen resilience and help secure the future of British agriculture.”
The investments are being delivered through the government’s Farming Innovation Programme, in partnership with Innovate UK.
As part of this, the Investor Partnerships initiative uses public funding to co‑invest alongside private backers, helping unlock larger levels of overall investment into promising agri‑tech companies.
The aim is to reduce risk for investors while speeding up the journey from innovation to on‑farm use.
By combining public investment, private backing and farmer‑focused innovation, ministers said the approach will strengthen the UK’s position as a leader in agri‑tech, while giving farmers the tools they need to farm more sustainably and profitably.
Image credit: iStock
