Sectors
Agriculture & Agri-Food Technology
Organisations working in Agriculture and Agri-Food innovations can access grant funding, from improving the adoption of new ideas to solutions for farming sustainability.
Agriculture & Agri-Food Technology spans several key innovation areas, including smart farming systems, sustainable food production, and climate-smart agriculture and environmental monitoring.
Grant funding for Agriculture & Agri-Food Tech
Funding for agriculture and food tech focus on improving productivity and sustainability, while reducing environmental degradation. We’ve worked on many projects in the Agriculture and Agri-Food Technology sector, including ADOPT programmes, LIFE and other programmes from UK and European grant funders.
Grant funding offers businesses and researchers a unique opportunity to scale their impact while retaining ownership. The benefits include:
- Accelerate Commercialisation with non-dilutive funding, providing immediate capital to scale operations, supporting investment of innovative agricultural and food technologies.
- Encourages collaborative R&D projects between businesses, farmers, universities, food manufacturers, and research institutions.
- Allows innovators to de-risk R&D investment in sustainable technologies that improve productivity, food security, and environmental outcomes.
Funding in the UK
The UK has strengthened its position in the Agriculture & Agri-Food Tech sector through a £53 million investment in the Farming Innovation Programme (FIP), whose partnership with Innovate UK has helped businesses turn new innovations into real-world solutions. This investment forms part of the government’s broader Industrial Strategy commitment to invest £200m in agricultural innovation by 2030.
Funding in the EU
Across the next EU Multiannual Financial Framework, the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) post-2027 will sit at the heart of the Union’s approach to agricultural support and rural development, working in close alignment with Horizon Europe as a key funding instrument for agricultural innovation and research.
Success Stories
Agriculture & Agri-Food Tech themes for grant funding
These thematic areas represent some of the most active priorities in UK and European grant funding for Agriculture & Agri-Food Tech innovation.
- Precision Agriculture: Technologies that use data, automation, and advanced analytics to optimise farming operations and improve productivity. Technologies include AI-powered crop monitoring and Farm management software.
- Agricultural Robotics and Automation: Solutions that reduce labour requirements, improve efficiency, and enhance agricultural productivity.
- Sustainable Food Production: Technologies that support environmentally sustainable food production while meeting growing global demand.
- Alternative Proteins and Novel Foods: Innovations that support more sustainable and resilient food systems such as Plant-based proteins and cultivated food technologies.
- Climate-Smart Agriculture: Solutions that help agriculture adapt to climate change while reducing environmental impact.
Agriculture & Agri-Food Tech funding programmes and funders
A wide range of UK and European non-dilutive funding programmes support innovation across the Agriculture and Agri-Food Technology sector.
Available funding for Agriculture & Agri-Food Tech innovators includes:
| Programme | Funder | Grant value | Stage | Who can apply |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK funding | ||||
| Farming Innovation Programme | Defra, delivered with Innovate UK | £123m in 2026/27 (programme budget) | Research to on-farm adoption | UK businesses, research organisations and farmers |
| ADOPT (Accelerating Development of Practices and Technologies) | Defra, delivered with Innovate UK | £50k–£200k, up to 80% of costs | On-farm trials and demonstrations | Farmer-led collaborations; lead farmer, grower or forester based in England |
| Farming Futures R&D Fund | Defra, delivered with Innovate UK | £500k–£6m project size | Longer-term collaborative R&D (2–5 years) | UK businesses and research organisations |
| European funding | ||||
| Pillar II Cluster 6: Food, Bioeconomy & Agriculture collaborative calls | Horizon Europe | €6m–€20m | Collaborative R&D | Consortia, incl. UK |
| EIT Food funding | EIT Food | €30k–€2m (revenue-based financing) | Start-up to scale-up | Agri-food start-ups and scale-ups |
| EIC Pathfinder | European Innovation Council | Up to €4m | Early-stage research (TRL 1–4) | Consortia, incl. UK |
| Other funding options are also available. Grant values are indicative and vary by call. | ||||
Winning Grant Funding for Agriculture & Agri-Food Tech
“We know which non-dilutive funding gives companies the best shot at success based on where they are in their journey – whether that’s early discovery, development, launch, or scaling.”
Laura Baiges Sotos
Agriculture Sector Expert
Ready for the next steps?
If you are developing an innovative solution in Agriculture & Agri-Food Tech, we help you identify, position, and secure the most suitable UK and European grant funding opportunities.
Ready to explore funding options? Book a no-obligation meeting now.
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