Nearly £2.3 million has been awarded to 30 projects in the first round of the ADOPT Fund, with trials taking place on working farms across the country…reports Asian Lite News
British farmers are being placed at the forefront of greener and smarter agriculture through a series of technology trials designed to reduce emissions, improve productivity and strengthen resilience, the government has announced. The projects, unveiled on Monday by Farming Minister Dame Angela Eagle, form the first wave of activity under the new ADOPT Fund, which is intended to test innovative ideas in real farm conditions before they are rolled out more widely.
Almost £2.3 million has been allocated to 30 farmer-led projects in the opening round of the fund. The trials cover a broad range of approaches, from alternative fuels and low-emission machinery to digital platforms that support day-to-day farm management and environmental monitoring. Ministers say the emphasis on practical, on-farm testing is designed to ensure that new technologies are both workable and cost-effective for farmers.
One of the funded projects, led by J&E Graham, will explore alternatives to peat-based growing media by trialling peat-free compost made from short rotation coppice willow. The willow will be grown in agroforestry systems and blended with other locally sourced materials to produce different compost mixes. These will be assessed for performance and suitability as growing media, with the aim of reducing reliance on peat and cutting the use of artificial fertilisers.
Another project focuses on reducing emissions from farm machinery where full electrification may not yet be feasible. W.S. Furnival Limited will trial the retrofitting of an older Massey Ferguson 290 tractor to run on green methanol. The project will assess whether converting existing machinery could provide a practical low-carbon alternative for farms that continue to rely on diesel-powered equipment.
Digital technology also features strongly in the programme. DigiTwinFarm, led by G J Jelley & Sons, will trial a Farm Digital Twin Platform on two contrasting beef and sheep farms. The platform will combine drone imagery, farm records and on-farm testing to support nutrient planning, environmental monitoring and routine farm management. The trial aims to demonstrate whether digital twins can help farmers make more informed decisions while reducing environmental impacts.
Announcing the funding, Dame Angela Eagle said: “By backing innovative ideas that boost productivity and resilience, we’re helping farmers lead the way in shaping a modern, sustainable agricultural sector. This Fund sits at the heart of our Industrial Strategy and are turning brilliant ideas into real-world solutions.”
The ADOPT Fund is being delivered in partnership with Innovate UK, which is working with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to support farmer-led innovation. Dr Stella Peace, Managing Director and Executive Director for Healthy Living and Agriculture Domain at Innovate UK, said the programme was intended to bridge the gap between innovation and adoption on farms.
“Innovate UK is working with Defra to deliver ADOPT, taking technology to the next scale and into adoption,” she said. “By supporting farmer trials, ADOPT aims to strengthen the UK’s leadership in sustainable agri-tech, advance productivity and build more resilient food systems.”
ADOPT is a £20 million programme covering the 2025 to 2026 financial year and is focused on generating evidence about what works in practice. By funding trials in real working environments, the government says it wants to give farmers confidence that new technologies can deliver benefits before they invest in them at scale.
The fund sits within the government’s wider Farming Innovation Programme, which has committed to investing at least £200 million by 2030. Ministers say this investment is part of the Modern Industrial Strategy and the government’s broader Plan for Change, aimed at supporting economic growth while accelerating the transition to more sustainable food production.
With pressures mounting on the farming sector to cut emissions, protect the environment and remain competitive, the government argues that farmer-led innovation will be central to meeting those challenges. The latest round of ADOPT funding is intended to show how new ideas can be tested, refined and adopted on farms, helping to shape the future of British agriculture.
