GEN Agricultural irrigation piping stacked on farm_2924745

Water supply and control will become an increasingly big concern in the future

Two projects that will aim to increase the fresh produce industry’s food security and resilience have won a portion of a new £9 million research grant.

A project looking at increasing resilience to water-related risks in the UK fresh fruit and vegetable system has won £1.3m. It will be run by Cranfield University, the University of East Anglia, East Malling Research and the University of Oxford.

A second study, named ‘Securing the future of the UK’s favourite fruit’, has secured £1,2m, and will be coordinated by the universities of Exeter and Oxford.

A further project, run by the Univeristy of Edinburgh, will look at the resilience of the UK food system to global shocks, and will be funded by a grant of £1m.

“From disease protection to improving management of global food shocks, these research projects will help tackle the serious threat of food shortages,” said science minister Jo Johnson. “Supporting these exciting and innovative solutions will help the UK food industry be better prepared for external factors and help provide food security to millions around the world.”

In total, five new research projects were awarded funding under the new scheme. The projects link biological, environmental and social sciences to help ensure food security in context of evolving worldwide markets, environmental changes, and disease or pest threats.

Specifically they will look at increasing crop and livestock tolerance to weather, emerging diseases, price volatility and other environmental and social shocks.

The funding will be provided by the UK’s Global Food Security Programme, with funding from the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) and Scottish Government.

BBSRC chief executive Melanie Welham said: “This investment will help ensure that the UK food system is primed to face challenges in a changing climate by building resilience at all levels. By working together BBSRC, ESRC, NERC and the Scottish Government can help to ensure that UK research delivers global benefits for society and the economy.”

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