Speakers and Presentations at the 2024 FutureGrow Expo
Funding technology
David Bole, Head of Sector Capacity and Green Economy and Jack Clough Grant Manager: Nature for Climate Fund, Forestry Commission
Supporting innovation in tree production
The Seed Sourcing Grant provides support for activities that enhance the quality, quantity, and diversity of tree seed sources in England. The Tree Production Innovation Fund provides funding for projects boosting the quantity, quality, and diversity of tree planting stock in England. It supports pre-commercial research into new technologies for sustainable tree production, such as improved seed usage, growing systems, and weed control. The Tree Production Capital Grant provides funding for projects to help English nurseries and seed suppliers modernise, automate, and expand operations. David and Jack will provide examples of success stories from all three grant programmes and their early impacts on industry.
Developing technology
Emilio Loo Mondarez, Principal Engineer, Warwick Agritech, WMG Catapult, University of Warwick
Commercialising ideas and prototypes
How to turn agri-tech dreams into market realities while avoiding the so called ‘valley of death’, the transition from public to private funding of research, where so many ideas have turned to dust for lack of investment, is a key concern for today’s researchers. Emilio will cover the key elements to maximise success when moving from academic research into industrial application, the Warwick Agri-tech strategy to support farming and growing in the UK, and also the research routes available for exploration if production businesses have their own ideas they would like to develop and see to fruition.
Embedding technology
Salih Hodzhov, Chief Operating Officer, WB Chambers Farms
Integrating robots into business
On the face of it, adoption of robots into a business appears to be exciting and futuristic, but what are the day-to-day issues to be considered, and the pitfalls to be aware of. Do you buy or hire. What staff resource do robots require. How do you integrate them into the workforce and business infrastructure. What are the various health and safety implications. Which tasks should they perform. What conditions are needed for them to work and how to get the best from them. Salih will talk about embedding not a single piece of technology into a large multi-site business, but a range including UV robots, drones, bio-control application equipment, and crop prediction and pollinator monitoring technology.
Embracing technology
James Wagstaffe, Director of Teaching and Learning, Lincoln Institute for Agri-food Technology (LIAT)
Future skill sets required by employees
If robots and new technologies are embraced by the ornamentals industry what skill sets will future employees need. Will a knowledge of robotics, electronics, programming, data management be essential for any business to successfully adopt robots. What skills can be outsourced, what support can be provided at distance. Will different management techniques be needed. What should business owners be thinking about now to plan for the future. James will summarise how the traditional horticultural skill set may give way to future ones including robotics, programming, digitisation, managing data driven decision-making and the challenges this brings for education and production businesses.
