ofc research in association with: 64 th oxford farming conference 8/29/20151 facilitator professor...
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OFC Research in association with:
64th Oxford Farming Conference
04/19/23 1
FacilitatorProfessor David Leaver
The Oxford Farming Conference Research in association withVolac and BBSRC:
Agricultural research needs and priorities: survey findings from the food and farming
industry
OFC Research in association with:
Introduction
The Oxford Farming Conference, in association with dairy nutrition company Volac and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, has commissioned leading market research specialists National Farm Research Unit and IGD to gather the views of UK farmers the UK food industry on the future needs of agricultural science.
The following are the results of the IGD food industry survey
OFC Research in association with:
Annual UK spending on agricultural science R&D
Organisation R&D spend (£)Government £264 million*
Defra £65 million
Scottish Government £30 million
Northern Ireland £7 million
BBSRC Ca £150 million
Funding Council support for universities £12 million
Technology strategy board (new for 2010) Expected to be >£80million over 5 years (£16 million/year)
Trade £56 million+
UK Agricultural Supply Industry £45 million+
UK plant breeders £10-£12 million
Farmers £29 million
AHDB levy payer funding £22.6 million (HGCA £5.5m HDC £4.7M EBLEX £4.6M DairyCo £3.1M Potato Council £2.66M BPEX £2.1M)
Farmer membership organisations (e.g. TAG) Ca £3 million
Agricultural charities Ca £3.5 million*Potential total for 2010 - £280 million (Based on previous spending plus £16M from Technology Strategy Board)
OFC Research in association with:
Overall estimated total on agricultural science R&D for 2010
£365 million
(based on previous spending plus Technology Strategy Board funding)
Annual UK spending on agricultural science R&D
OFC Research in association with:
IGD Survey Contents
IGD Survey
• Slide 6: Background• Slide 7: Objectives• Slide 8: Methodology• Slide 10: Results. 1. Current engagement in agricultural science research• Slide 14: Results. 2. Scope of current agricultural science research• Slide 18: Results. 3. Usefulness of current agricultural science research• Slide 22: Results. 4. Future agricultural science research requirements• Slide 29: Summary• Slide 30: Note• Slide 31: Website contacts
Research by IGD
OFC Research in association with: Research by IGD
Background
• Modern agriculture faces a series of challenges in meeting future demand for food– A global population of 9 billion by 2050– Rising oil prices– Changes in land use and area under cultivation due to climate change
• Farmers and growers will need to – Produce more food efficiently and safely– Optimise the use of inputs– Minimise environmental impact
• To tackle these challenges successfully, the needs of the whole food supply chain must be considered – from producer to processor to retailer to consumer
OFC Research in association with: Research by IGD
• Research was carried out to seek views from the food industry on agricultural science research
• Businesses at different points along the food supply chain were asked about:– Their current engagement in agricultural science research– The scope of current research– The usefulness of current agricultural science research– The research needs of their businesses in 10 years time
Objectives
OFC Research in association with: Research by IGD
• Qualitative survey of food businesses • Telephone interviews of approximately 30 minutes duration • Views from 10 food businesses from the following sectors:
– Retail– Composite food manufacture– Dairy processing– Cereal processing– Meat processing– Fresh produce grower– Wholesale– Foodservice operationMany thanks to those who took part in the survey
Methodology
OFC Research in association with: Research by IGD
• For the purposes of the survey, agricultural science research was limited to that focused on primary food production*
• Questions included in the qualitative survey focused on four areas:1. Current engagement in agricultural science research2. The scope of current research3. The usefulness of current agricultural science research4. The research needs of their businesses in 10 years time
• Emerging themes were identified
* Defined as cultivation of plants for human consumption, or for conversion into products for human consumption; cultivation of plants as feed for animals for human consumption; rearing and maintenance of animals for human consumption, or to produce outputs for human consumption.
Methodology continued
OFC Research in association with: Research by IGD
Results1. Current engagement in agricultural
science research
OFC Research in association with: Research by IGD
Collaborative research with industry partners
UK and overseas
Government-funded, applied research projects
Through industry association or levy board
Projects directly funded at universities
Have our own facilities in house
In what ways is your business involved in research?
1. Current engagement in agricultural science research
OFC Research in association with: Research by IGD
Sustainability Low carbon farming
Efficient water use
Reducing chemical inputs
Biodiversity
Animal welfare
Measures of sustainability
Varietal innovation and
methods of cultivation
Yield improvements
Crop efficiency
Adaptation to drought
Food quality and safety Tools to assess quality
Non-destructive testing
Nutritional and functional improvements
•Ensuring business is sustainable•Impact on environment•Growing population•Meeting consumer demand•Government demands
•Food security•Ensuring there is food to sell in the future
•Grower and customer benefit•Consumer expectation of quality•Government policy on nutrition & health
Within primary food production, which area(s) of agricultural science research are currently most important to your business?
1. Current engagement in agricultural science research
OFC Research in association with: Research by IGD
If it stopped, the national diet would just have to change
It is linked to sustainability and food security
Costs of production are not sustainable
It is part of our general horizon-scanning mix Need to meet demands of population growth
We need to produce more for less
Keeping ahead of the competition
To increase functionality of crops and single ingredients in foods
How do you view the overall importance of scientific research in primary food production to your business?
1. Current engagement in agricultural science research
5
Median 8
1081 10
(no importance) (crucially important)
8999
6 7
7
OFC Research in association with: Research by IGD
Results2. Scope of current agricultural science
research
OFC Research in association with: Research by IGD
2. Scope of current agricultural science research
It meets our needs
The right areas are not funded……..
It’s not applied enough………..
Don’t know what is out there……..
How well does agricultural science research meet the current needs of your business?
•Requirements met through trade bodies and literature
•Funding depends on what’s “in vogue”•Projects are tailored to meet expertise within an institution, and not industry needs •Commercial needs not met•No application to industry setting
•Lack of awareness of research•Poor dissemination of information•IP restricts access
OFC Research in association with: Research by IGD
Global focus Sustainability & food security
Meat quality Strategy Applied research
Share best practice
Meeting needs of growing
population
Effects of forage systems
Clear roadmap of research
programme
Meeting market needs
Look outside of EU
Reduce carbon and water use
Improving animal health
Clarity of current activities and future needs
Connection to commercial
world
Understand benefits of
different farming systems
What are the gaps in agricultural science research?
2. Scope of current agricultural science research
OFC Research in association with: Research by IGD
Funding structure Loss of skills Commercial awareness and organisation
Short term political outlook Skills lost from areas now recognised as important
Scientists need to understand the environment in which research outputs will be employed
Poor availability of funds Loss of good university departments through lack of funding
Speed of implementation of research needs to increase
No overall responsibility for research
Fragmented nature of parts of the industry makes implementation of technology more challenging
Why do gaps in research exist?
2. Scope of current agricultural science research
OFC Research in association with: Research by IGD
Results3. Usefulness of current agricultural
science research
OFC Research in association with: Research by IGD
3. Usefulness of current agricultural science research
Is it relevant? Is it timely? Is there sufficient industrial participation?
YESBut it takes time to find the areas of interest
YESWhen there is clear government-driven need
YESIt is in industry’s interests to take part
NONot applied enough
NOToo short term
NOConsultation with industry is needed
Pure research is interesting but not relevant
Too slow to market
Contentious areas are not addressed e.g GM
OFC Research in association with: Research by IGD
Illustrations and ideas to show how research can be applied in the “real world”
Demonstrate benefits to business
Funding for implementation following the research
Working in collaboration will make it more impactful
Cluster farming and industry to deliver a research programme giving value across the supply chain
Make it global
What other factors affect the usefulness of agricultural science research?
3. Usefulness of current agricultural science research
OFC Research in association with: Research by IGD
How do you rate the overall usefulness of agricultural science research?
3. Usefulness of current agricultural science research
3 751 10
(no importance) (crucially important)
77
63
44
Median
OFC Research in association with: Research by IGD
Results4. Future agricultural science research
requirements
OFC Research in association with: Research by IGD
4. Future (10 years) agricultural science research requirements
Sustainability and food security
Crop varieties and yield Methods of cultivationWithstanding climate changeUse of GM technology
Resource depletion Water scarcityMineral depletion in soil
Food quality and safety
Sourcing New marketsPost harvest physiologyPest control
Nutrition Non-destructive, rapid testingImproving nutritional value
Animal welfare Improving standards
Food safety Pathogen control
What issues do you think will be most important to your business?
OFC Research in association with: Research by IGD
Rank the following research areas in terms of importance to your business
Ranking
Climate change & other environmental considerations
Top
Food safety Second (equal)
Energy prices, efficiency savings & waste reduction
Second (equal)
Human diet & health, including obesity Second (equal)
Spread of new or emerging pests & diseases
Bottom
Respondents ranked each research area in importance from 1 (highest) to 5 (lowest). Final ranking was based on the average of all scores.
4. Future (10 years) agricultural science research requirements
OFC Research in association with: Research by IGD
• Climate change affects all 5 areas• Maintaining a sustainable global
supply base• Feeding a growing world population• Reducing impact on supply chain
Why are these areas important?
Climate change and other environmental considerations
Food safety• Maintaining consumer confidence• Threat from changes in supply chain
due to climate change
4. Future (10 years) agricultural science research requirements
OFC Research in association with: Research by IGD
Why are these areas important?
• Impact on climate and environment• Cost perspective• “Water is the new oil of tomorrow”• Energy and carbon reduction
Energy prices, efficiency savings and waste reduction
Spread of new and emerging pests and diseases
Human diet and health, including obesity
• Role of food industry in producing food for health
• Addressing obesity• Climate change and diet
• New pests arising as a result of climate change
• Spread of current diseases e.g Blue tongue in cattle
4. Future (10 years) agricultural science research requirements
OFC Research in association with: Research by IGD
• Increased food prices• Increased food imports• Shifting global politics: countries whose climates support food
production increase in power• Individual businesses implement their own solutions: fragmented
response• UK will lose competitive advantage
Consequences for the food industry if research is not carried out
4. Future (10 years) agricultural science research requirements
OFC Research in association with: Research by IGD
GM Introduction to UK and EUOffers significant advantagesConcerns over loss of skills
Nanotechnology Potential not yet clearDanger of developments being blocked
Genomics Whole genome selection in cattleVarietal selection
Sustainable agriculture HydroponicsWater managementSoil science
Technologies which will help us
4. Future (10 years) agricultural science research requirements
OFC Research in association with: Research by IGD
• Agricultural science research is important to the food businesses
surveyed
– Sustainability and food security
– Food quality and safety
• Engagement varies
– Out of the loop/unaware
– Engaged and active in research
• There is scope to increase application of research
• Without research
– Increased food prices
– Increased reliance on food imports
Summary
OFC Research in association with: Research by IGD
• Sample size used in this research is small (10 businesses)• Research is qualitative in nature• Caution should be used in drawing wider inference for the food and
grocery sector
Note
OFC Research in association with:
Website contacts
Oxford Farming Conference: www.ofc.org.uk
Volac: www.volac.com
BBSRC: www.bbsrc.ac.uk
IGD: www.igd.com
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