I’m fed up with talking about the weather, but I can console myself with the fact we have grabbed every opportunity so far and progress is not too bad.OFC '10: UK research 'not good enough'
EXPERTS from across the food chain have valued agricultural research in the UK at a lowly five out of ten, delegates were shocked to learn at the Oxford Farming Conference this week.
In a survey carried out by the IGD, a select group of retailers, processors and wholesalers warned a failure to improve research would cause a rise in food prices, a rise in imports and an erosion of the UK’s competitive advantage.
In a second survey, by the National Farm Research Unit, farmers said science must be more applied and simpler to understand if they are to meet global food demands.
The farmers identified plant breeding as the most important area for future attention.
They also pinpointed better soil and water management techniques and prevention and control of animal disease as key areas to help them produce more food profitably and sustainably.
Both surveys highlighted the need for greater cooperation between farmers, scientists, the food industry and the Government.
While eight out of ten farmers said the press was the most important tool to communicate scientific developments.
The results of both surveys, which were sponsored by the OFC, dairy nutrition company Volac and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, were presented to conference delegates by Professor David Leaver, former Principal of the Royal Agricultural College and a member of the Government’s Council of Food Policy Advisors.
With over £365 million due to be spent on agricultural research in 2010, Prof Leaver said agricultural science must be more accessible and better targeted if farmers were to meet the Government’s food strategy goals.
“The key messages from this research are that for UK agriculture to be competitive, we need a functioning R&D chain which can deliver the new technologies needed to satisfy the food production and environmental demands of the future.
“This will require greater co-operation and engagement by all as well as more clarity as to how research is funded, prioritised and applied.
“These are very important pieces of work and should help politicians and the food and farming industry identify what the future direction of agricultural science should be and who should deliver it,” said Prof Leaver.
Hilary Benn, the Environment Secretary, said his department recognised the importance of R&D.
He said the new agri-food innovation platform announced by the Technology Strategy Board would provide £75m to ‘help us increase profitability, produce more and impact less’.
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