Innovation Agri-Tech Group and University of Essex secure funding to create £3.5 million facility

Agricultural technology company, Innovation Agri-Tech Group (IAG) has further cemented its relationship with the University of Essex, as the university has received a major funding boost from The Wolfson Foundation, to continue its plant productivity research.

The Wolfson Foundation, an independent grant-making charity, has pledged £1 million to support the development of a unique Smart Technology Experimental Plant Suite (STEPS) at Essex's Colchester Campus to future-proof crop production in a changing and challenging world. With one of the longest established whole plant physiology and photosynthesis groups in the UK, Essex has long been at the forefront of plant productivity research.

As major contributor to the project, IAG, will be installing its innovative and patented GrowFrame – a modular system, it uses aeroponic irrigation and closed-loop water recycling to provide water and highly precise nutrients with no pesticides, as well as being proven to produce a healthier root system and superior crop growth.

The GrowFrame will be part of a wider advanced technology system, which will include artificial intelligence (AI), environmental sensors and water management systems all provided and installed by IAG, enabling the ability to grow plants in a fully automated and adjustable environment. Through the installation, the University of Essex will have an unrivalled facility for extended education, UK outreach, research, experimentation and knowledge transfer for the real-world application of CEA (Controlled Environment Agriculture). This comes at a time when there is expected growth in the human population by 2050, alongside building climate resilience, all driving a step-change in sustainable agricultural productivity.

"The investment and funding from The Wolfson foundation into STEPS is a fantastic moment for the whole of the vertical farming industry," commented Kate Brunswick, Business Development Director. "We know the global population is growing – and predicted to continue to do so rapidly. The traditional methods of farming and food production alone are not enough. The capability to provide adequate nutritional food, will continue to be a world-wide challenge as demand increases.

"Since 2017, the mission of IAG is to provide a cost-effective solution that can be used on a global scale; to grow food to help feed increasing populations – especially in urban spaces or where arable farming is depleting the land due to over-farming. Collaborating with Professor Tracy Lawson and her team at the University of Essex, we're confident that our technology will help lead the way in future-proofing food security and building climate resilience. It is a hugely exciting project to be a part of, and one that is personally close to our own objectives."

The project is being spearheaded by renowned plant physiologist, and key member of the IAG advisory board, Professor Lawson from Essex's School of Life Sciences. "It will elevate our cross-disciplinary research and work with business stakeholders to address some of the key challenges in the agriculture and horticulture sector. STEPS will also provide a unique platform for community engagement and outreach to increase the visibility of plant science research and highlight the global challenges in this area."

In addition, Paul Ramsbottom, CEO of the Wolfson Foundation, said, "New and improved farming methods will be crucial to solving some of the great challenges of the 21st century, not least global food security – especially in the context of a changing climate. The University of Essex has an impressive track record in crop science, and we are delighted to be supporting these experimental facilities. We hope they will assist in making important new breakthroughs in sustainable food production."

The STEPs facility will extend the activities initiated by the Essex Plant Innovation Centre (EPIC), which already has strong links working with Agri-Tech and environmental industries to deliver solutions to real-word problems. The £3.5million facility, which is due to be open by summer 2023, will comprise four unique environmental grow rooms.