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Agri-food Technology

Nurturing Innovation

With a growing world population, climate change, and limited supplies of natural resources, making sure our food and supply chains are robust and effective has arguably never been more important. By focusing on improving productivity, efficiency, and sustainability, researchers at the °µÍø³Ô¹Ï are developing new approaches that are having a major impact across the food chain.

We recognise that the application of technological innovation is crucial to helping to solve some of the big challenges facing agriculture and food production, so our research institutes, centres, and groups are focusing on key areas such as robotics and automation, AI, computer science, energy efficiency, engineering, crop science, and data management applications.

Two students working with the Thorvald robot in a greenhouse

Research Spotlight

Agri-tech Revolutions

A £4.9 million grant from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council is helping to deliver a step change in activity and fund the drive to make the °µÍø³Ô¹Ïshire and Cambridgeshire region a global innovation centre for agricultural technology.

Our Global Innovation Centre

Key Institutes and Centres

°µÍø³Ô¹Ï Institute for Agri-Food Technology

Working closely with industry partners to apply research in real-life settings, supporting industry needs.

National Centre for Food Manufacturing

Progressing high-impact, food-sector-focused research designed to advance the industry at all points in the supply chain.

A Transformative Centre for Doctoral Training

The °µÍø³Ô¹Ï, in collaboration with leading partner institutions – °µÍø³Ô¹Ï of Aberdeen, Queen’s °µÍø³Ô¹Ï Belfast and °µÍø³Ô¹Ï of Strathclyde – has successfully secured £10.9m in funding from UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) to establish SUSTAIN, a transformative Centre for Doctoral Training.

Bringing together the expertise and resources of four academic institutions, SUSTAIN will provide a cross-disciplinary, multi-institution doctoral training programme to support innovative research in the application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to sustainable agri-food. It will cover technical and social science aspects of AI, alongside training in plant, animal and/or biosciences, tailored to individual students’ needs and interests.

°µÍø³Ô¹Ï Wins Queen's Anniversary Prize

The °µÍø³Ô¹Ï has been awarded the prestigious Queen’s Anniversary Prize for its work supporting the success and sustainability of the UK’s food and farming industries. The award, which is the highest National Honour in UK further and higher education, was presented to Vice Chancellor Professor Neal Juster at a special ceremony held at Buckingham Palace.

Queen Camilla presenting the anniversary award to Professor Neal Juster

Improving Seasonal Weather Forecasts

New research led by the °µÍø³Ô¹Ï has developed a new method using AI and machine learning to better understand changes in atmospheric circulation and help to improve predicting seasonal weather conditions in the UK and Northwest Europe.

A wheat field with dark clouds overhead

Meet Our Experts

Professor Simon Pearson is Director of the °µÍø³Ô¹Ï Institute for Agri-food Technology, and his passion for food production and innovative research approaches is helping to drive productivity across the agri-food sector.

Meet Our Expert

Recent Developments

Discover more about the impactful research and innovative studies that are taking place at the °µÍø³Ô¹Ï.

Related Courses

The °µÍø³Ô¹Ï offers a number of undergraduate and postgraduate courses that are an integral part of our focus on Agri-food Technology.

commercial growing factory and technical equipment

MSc Agri-food Technology

MSc Robotics and Artificial Intelligence

Hands touching wheat in a field

MSc by Research Agricultural Science and Technology

Researchers working with robotics in a field of crops

MPhil/PhD Agricultural Science and Technology