United Kingdom
June 3, 2014
£0.5 million funding is to be invested in the Agri-Gate Research Hub, a new innovation centre for the Agri-Tech sector. It aims to support applied research work to reduce waste in the food chain and improve production efficiency.
The investment was from the Eastern Agri-Tech Initiative, created by the Greater Cambridge Greater Peterborough Enterprise Partnership (LEP) and partners. In total, there is a planned investment of £1.76 million into the new scheme over the next three years.
The project, led by NIAB , is designed to bring back into use an existing building at Hasse Fen, Soham to provide a unique facility for farmers & growers, food businesses, schools & colleges and other users. The Research Hub will provide space for research work, in-field crop research capacity and modern meeting facilities.
Tina Barsby, from NIAB, said: “The new Agri Gate Research Hub will provide our industry with the facilities they need in a sustainable and successful research facility located in the heart of the Fens.”
The research work will range from seedbed preparation, varietal selection, and plant spacing, right through to harvesting, processing, packaging and processes. It will create opportunities for technology transfer by housing pilot and field scale research projects that are vital to the future of the industry.
Mark Reeve, Chairman of the Greater Cambridge Greater Peterborough Enterprise Partnership (LEP) and the Eastern Agri-Tech Initiative Programme Delivery Board, added: “The Eastern Agri-Tech Initiative brings together two world-class research clusters in Cambridge and Norwich coupled with the richest agricultural land in the country. By investing in the Agri Gate Research Hub we are providing space for projects to develop and grow, with the end focus on creating new jobs in the future. This is a significant step forward towards securing our position as global leaders in the Agri-Tech sector.”
Agri-Gate will provide space for pilot scale grading, sorting and waste processing equipment, and access to a wide range of wheeled and trailed machinery, creating a vital link between research generated by the major research organisations in the region and end-users, ensuring that local businesses remain at the forefront of technical developments.
Mark Reeve continued: “In addition to the Agri-Gate project, we also had an interesting proposal from Fenland District Council and Produce World that has great potential to support training for the developing Agri-Tech sector. Whilst we can only select one innovation centre, my team at the LEP are looking at other opportunities and we hope to be able to pick up on this initiative in the future.”
Overall, the project will create 77 new jobs, 15 apprenticeships and safeguard 148 jobs, with further growth across the industry as a result of the research undertaken at the Hub.
Work is due to start on the G’s Group owned site in July and be completed before the end of the year.
The Eastern Agri-Tech Initiative has been created to invest in new market and supply chain development, essential skills training, and the progression, application and commercialisation of Research and Development across the Eastern area. In total £3.2 million of funding has been secured from the Government’s Regional Growth Fund by the Greater Cambridge Greater Peterborough Enterprise Partnership (LEP) in conjunction with New Anglia LEP and the local authorities across both these areas
You can find out more about the Eastern Agri-Tech Initiative, including the grants available to local businesses, at www.agritechgrants.co.uk.
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