New Zealand Archives - Agri-EPI Centre

Tag Archive for: New Zealand

Kiwi alliance speeds innovation development

Global collaboration plays a vital role in developing solutions for our farming industries – so in September we were delighted to receive 20+ visitors from New Zealand on an innovation-led agri-tech mission. The visit followed our own expert mission to New Zealand in March this year: our nations have many farming similarities, so agri-tech innovators are uniquely placed to share challenges and opportunities.

Farmers across the UK and Ireland already use technology from New Zealand companies like LIC, Gallagher, Waikato and Tru-Test, and there is plenty that our own innovators can do to help farmers across the globe. The challenges are the same whether you farm in New Zealand or the UK: achieving greater productivity and efficiencies, labour availability, environmental pressures and changing consumer preferences. Smart technological solutions can help answer those challenges.

With the help of the Department of International Trade, Innovate UK, Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland, the Callaghan Innovation-led mission visited the Irish National Ploughing Championships and UK Dairy Day, as well as our Agri-EPI hub in the Midlands and the South West Dairy Development Centre in Somerset.

Les Hurdiss, Operations Manager at the Midlands Agri-Tech Innovation Hub, explains:

“Agriculture is New Zealand’s number one industry, so their government really promotes innovation. But the domestic market is small, so they need to expand globally.”

By creating ‘landing pads’ in the UK, employing British staff, receiving British investment and developing new innovations for the British market, everyone stands to benefit.

In addition, having a straightforward entry to the New Zealand market helps our own investors and innovators, while having a presence on opposite sides of the world speeds up technological advances due to the ability to squeeze two seasons of testing into one 12-month period.

Having returned to New Zealand, Peter Wren-Hilton, Executive Director of Agritech New Zealand, has already drafted actions and initiatives to submit to Government ministers. Times are moving rapidly ahead: watch this space.

Logo KTNMission report

Earlier this year, Agri-EPI Centre took part in Agri-Tech Expert Missions to Australia and New Zealand respectively. KTN has delivered two separate publications that summarise the opportunities for UK organisations in both areas and insights gathered during the delegation’s time. Don’t miss out on these insightful documents and download them here.

Innovate UK’s Global Expert Missions, led by Innovate UK’s Knowledge Transfer Network, play an important role in building strategic partnerships, providing deep insight into the opportunities for UK innovation and shaping future programmes.

Stay informed

Keep up to date with the latest impact and results of our work, plus, news, innovation and approaches across the sector. Read our latest news and Agri-EPI blogs.

Agri-EPI’s Antipodean Missions

Agri-EPI Projects Managers Freddie Reed and Duncan Forbes gained a valuable insight into the antipodean agri-tech sector when they recently took part in Agri-Tech Expert Missions to Australia and New Zealand respectively.

Organised by the Knowledge Transfer Network (KTN) on behalf of Innovate UK, the aim of the missions was to ascertain the potential opportunities for UK businesses to build Research & Development collaborations with international agri-tech partners. Whilst on opposite sides of the globe, we share a lot of common interests, speak the same language (almost!) and have similarities in climate.

Participating alongside Agri-EPI Centre were other key representatives of the UK, Australian and New Zealand agri-food supply chains.

Agri-Tech in Australia

Australia aims to grow its agriculture sector to a Aus$100Bn industry by 2030 and believe the key to driving productivity is the use of technology. The Australian Government sees agri-tech as a priority due to population growth and climate change, resulting in increased funding initiatives. The agriculture sector is largely export-focused but there is also a small domestic market for produce.

Agri-Tech in New Zealand

In New Zealand, Duncan was struck by just how many dairy farms there were on both North and South Islands, reflecting a shift away from beef and sheep in favour of milk production. New Zealand has similar numbers of milk producers to the UK but places a far higher emphasis of making use of grazing to achieve low cost production. As Duncan’s visit took place in the early autumn, he saw lots of very impressive maize crops being harvested.

Both the Australia and New Zealand missions involved tours to several cities and universities, resulting in some very useful collaborations, with others emerging. Being on opposite sides of the globe presents a clear opportunity to accelerate technical developments though “counter seasonality” or having two growing seasons in a twelve month cycle, one in each nation.

Please contact us if you are interested in finding out more about the agri-tech landscape in Australia and New Zealand.

Stay informed

Keep up to date with the latest impact and results of our work, plus, news, innovation and approaches across the sector. Read our latest news and Agri-EPI blogs.

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Photo: Delegation of the Agri-Tech Expert Mission to Australia February 2019 with in the middle Interim British High Commissioner Ingrid Southworth

Tag Archive for: New Zealand