New Report Maps Key Technologies Driving UK Farming To 2035
The UK Agri-Tech Centre has published a new report setting out a strategic vision for how the country’s arable and horticultural industries can harness technology to strengthen productivity, resilience and sustainability over the next decade.
Titled The Future of Arable and Horticulture Innovation: Shaping the Next 10 Years, the report looks ahead to 2035 and identifies the enabling technologies and innovation pathways expected to drive growth for UK agri-tech businesses and deliver impact across the wider food system.
According to the Centre, the UK’s agricultural landscape is “at a turning point” as climate pressures intensify, labour challenges persist and input costs rise. Emerging and enabling technologies—from advanced sensing and artificial intelligence to biotechnology and controlled environment systems—will be central to meeting these challenges while creating new commercial opportunities.
Grounded in interviews and workshops with industry stakeholders, the report highlights three themes for innovation: climate change mitigation, automation and digitisation, and diversification of production.
“For agri-tech to realise its full potential, businesses need both clear pathways and the ability to connect innovations with the complexities of real-world farming,” said Dr Harry Langford, Innovation Director at the UK Agri-Tech Centre. “By linking research technology development with commercial practice, the sector can bridge the critical gaps between concept and adoption, delivering scalable, on-farm solutions.”
The report defines four innovation pathways for technology development in arable and horticultural production over the next ten years: intelligent and data-driven agriculture; climate resilience and biotechnology; regenerative farming and agri-tech; and new, diversified production systems.
“Real progress depends on developing and adopting innovation that drives sustainable systems,” said Dr Ruth Bastow, Chief Technology Officer at the UK Agri-Tech Centre. “To grow the UK’s agri-tech advantage, we need joined-up investment, shared infrastructure and a clear vision that aligns science, policy and business. By working collectively across the sector, we can turn technological breakthroughs into practical tools that drive productivity, resilience and environmental gain.”
The report reinforces the Centre’s mission to support agri-tech businesses in developing, testing and commercialising innovations through access to facilities, expertise and partnerships.
