The Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) has to invest £15 million in establishing training for food security research and development.

The Advanced Training Partnerships scheme, announced at the same time as the launch of the new industry-led AgriSkills Strategy, aims to ensure that the UK can equip itself with the right skills to enable a profitable and sustainable agricultural industry and complements the new BBSRC scheme.

The BBSRC Advanced Training Partnerships will ensure that the UK has highly skilled workers in the agri-food sector in the coming decade to secure our food supply. The scheme will support the development of staff within the sector and help companies with succession planning in niche skill areas.

Science and innovation minister Lord Drayson said: "Transferring the UK's world-leading bioscience research from the lab bench to the field will underpin this fast-growing sector. This BBSRC initiative will help train the skilled workers we need to build on our strengths in farming and agricultural production and protect our future food supply."

BBSRC expects to fund a small number of high-value awards, committing up to £15 million towards the Advanced Training Partnerships scheme. These awards will provide support for up to five years of core costs and new programme or module development. This means that the money is to be used to fund management, administration and direction of the partnership.

Richard Longthorp, chair of the AgriSkills Strategy Group, said: "Agriculture and horticulture are now firmly in the limelight having been identified as key to food security and evolving a low-carbon economy. We must address this challenge against the backdrop of needing 60,000 new people within the sector over the next 10 years. These people will need the right skills at the right level, as well as support from knowledge and technology transfer activities and excellent research and development.

"It is very timely that BBSRC should be launching its own initiative regarding R&D skills today. The industry-led AgriSkills Strategy addresses skills at farm level and so BBSRC's scheme is complementary. The AgriSkills Forum recognises the need to address skills in the agri-food sector in a holistic manner and we look forward to working closely with BBSRC to compare notes and ensure that any potential synergies are encouraged to be realised."

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