On the 7th of November 2024, Innovation Agritech Group (IAG) hosted Growing Expertise: Bridging the Skills Gap through Research & Innovation, an Agri-Tech Week event in collaboration with Agri-Tech E. The event, hosted at the University of Essex, brought together academics and the agri-tech industry to address one of the most pressing challenges in modern agriculture—the skills gap. The event showcased how university research and technology can advance sustainable food production while equipping the next generation with the knowledge to drive the industry forward.
A hands-on look at Agri-Tech innovation
After a morning session hosted by Tracy Lawson, Professor of Plant Science at the University of Essex, guests were invited to tour the Smart Technology Experimental Plant Suite (STEPS) facility in the School of Life Sciences featuring IAG's GrowFrame360 vertical farming system.
The vertical farm is key in the STEPS laboratory's mission to develop climate change-resilient crops for a harsher future growing environment. This hands-on experience offered attendees valuable insights into how cutting-edge technology is practically being used in a research setting to address future food production challenges.
Keynotes and conversations
After the STEPS tour, IAG's Business Development Director, Kate Brunswick, welcomed a number of expert speakers to discuss the role that agritech systems, such as those demonstrated earlier, can play in agricultural education and the importance of bridging the skills gap.
Dr Laura Placzynski, postdoctoral research associate at Harper Adams University, delivered an insightful keynote on behalf of Professor David Rose, Elizabeth Creak Chair in Sustainable Agricultural Change at Harper Adams, on the trends in British sustainable food systems and the skills needed to keep up with technological change.
Oxfordshire mixed farmer Will Brown, 2023 Nuffield Scholar, shared valuable insights about his scholarship on vertical farming and how vertical farming can fit into agricultural production, research, and training. Kirsty Barden, Head of Business Development at Management Development Services, discussed the skills gap in agriculture and how her organization is attempting to bridge it.
Lastly, Professor Tracy Lawson delivered a presentation overviewing the STEPS lab's role in agricultural education and the benefits of installing a vertical farm within an educational institution.
The event wrapped up with an open panel discussion and Q&A session chaired by Kate Brunswick, where the keynote speakers were joined by IAG's Lead Plant Scientist, Dr. Deepa Haridas. This interactive session allowed attendees to ask questions, sparking discussions on the essential combination of innovation and education in agri-tech. Key themes included the importance of equipping future 'agri-leaders' with both practical skills and theoretical knowledge to navigate an evolving industry and a changing world.
'Addressing the Agri-Tech skills gap'
Throughout the day, several critical themes and action points emerged to help close this 'gap':
Attracting New Talent to Agriculture: Only 3% of 16–21-year-olds choose agriculture as a career path and of the current farming workforce, 35% are aged 65 and over. The industry needs a strategic push to attract young people, especially those without family farming backgrounds. Studies show that career interest can begin as early as age 7. Agri-tech's modern, tech-driven environment, including advanced tools like vertical farms, could play a pivotal role in capturing young people's interest.
Challenging Misconceptions: Many young people have misconceptions about agricultural jobs, imagining them as low-wage, physically demanding, and "dirty." Today, agri-tech offers diverse roles like engineering, project management, and design, showcasing a cleaner, high-tech work environment. Educating students on how agri-tech has evolved and the varied career paths it offers is essential to overcome these stereotypes.
Integrating Agri-Tech in Education: Vertical farming and Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) systems in academic settings provide hands-on experience and exposure to advanced agricultural methods. These setups allow researchers to test numerous variables in a much shorter time frame compared to traditional outdoor farming. Government support is crucial for schools and universities to implement these systems, integrate them into their curricula, and make agri-tech a core component of agricultural education.
Complementing Traditional Agriculture: Vertical farming won't replace traditional agriculture but can complement it. With high levels of environmental control, vertical farms are excellent for niche and novel crops and for supporting agricultural research.
Improving Work-Life Balance: Innovations in robotics and automation, such as robotic milking and precise scheduling in vertical farms, can improve work-life balance in agriculture by reducing long hours and manual labor.
Cultivating the next generation
This Agri-Tech Week event highlighted how collaboration between academic institutions and industry leaders like IAG can address the skills gap while fostering sustainable food production. With initiatives such as IAG Educate and the GrowFrame360 system, the path to cultivating a knowledgeable and capable future workforce is clear.
"As we work to change perceptions of agricultural careers, events like this show how hands-on agri-tech solutions in education can inspire the next generation. While there is still much work to do to shift young people's perceptions about careers in agriculture, together academia and industry can empower young minds and pave the way for a sustainable future in agriculture," the IAG team said.
For more information:
Innovation Agri Tech
[email protected]
www.iagri-tech.com