Plant breeding as well as soil and water management have become the key concerns for producers, with crop protection taking a back seat, according to new research.
Two pieces of unique research into future agricultural science revealed that breeding and GM technology are top of the agenda, with the majority believing their development was the government’s responsibility, it was revealed at the Oxford Farming Conference (OFC) on Wednesday.
The OFC research was carried out in association with Volac and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council. It consisted of a survey of 600 farmers by the National Farm Research Unit and the views of 10 technical specialists in the food industry gathered by the IGD.
Crop protection may have been seen as the most important past agricultural science advancement by farmers, but plant breeding was identified as the most important future production development.
Farmers were also asked who they believe currently delivers agricultural science research to them and who should do so in the future. Nearly 60 per cent said the agricultural supply industry is the most important deliverer of science, with just 21 per cent saying the government is. However, 56 per cent believed the government should be responsible for agricultural science in the future. Only 10 per cent thought the Agricultural and Horticultural Development Board (AHDB) is the most important deliverer of agricultural science now and just seven per cent thought it should be in the future.
An estimate of current funding on agricultural research prepared for the conference suggests that there is a significant mismatch between who is perceived to do the research and who is actually doing it. In contrast to the farmers’ perceptions, annual funding of agricultural research by the government is currently worth £264 million - 75 per cent of the overall total of £350m. Funding by the agricultural supply industry is worth £56m - 16 per cent - and by farmers (largely through the AHDB) is £29m - eight per cent. Public funding for research is also expected to increase by around £16m a year as the government has committed £80m over the next five years through the Technology Strategy Board.
Professor Leaver, former principal of the Royal Agricultural College, said: “These are very important pieces of work and should help politicians and the food and farming industry identify what the future direction of agricultural science should be and who should deliver it.
“The key messages from this research are that for UK agriculture to be competitive, we need a functioning R&D chain which can deliver the new technologies needed to satisfy the food production and environmental demands of the future. This will require greater co-operation and engagement by all, as well as more clarity as to how research is funded, prioritised and applied.”
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