Farmers increasingly call for agri-tech innovation funding and subsidised trials, as Tesco announce Swiss company AgroSustain as a winner of its Agri-tech challenge
A growing number of UK farmers are turning to innovation to increase farm efficiency and profitability, but many are still facing significant barriers, according to new research from Tesco.
The retailer’s annual Greenprint farmer survey found that 58 per cent of farmers have introduced innovation in the past year, up from 46 per cent in 2025, yet three quarters (76 per cent) of those surveyed said getting innovation onto farms is challenging or very challenging.
The findings come as Tesco announced the winners of its annual Agri-tech challenge which rewards innovation within the sector.
Tornado, a sealing technology designed to strengthen plant resilience and protect crops developed by Swiss agri-tech company AgroSustain, has been named the winner of the early-stage category.
The technology forms an invisible physical barrier on the plant surface using edible ingredients, helping crops withstand challenging growing conditions including drought and salinity.
By protecting plants from environmental stresses, the technology aims to reduce crop losses, support higher yields and reduce reliance on conventional treatments.
Olga Dubey, CEO and co-founder of AgroSustain, said: “Winning the Tesco Agri-tech Challenge is a fantastic recognition of our technology and validates the strong need for it within the UK.
“We hope this opportunity will help us bring our technology to a much larger audience, helping British agriculture to become more sustainable,” she continued.
The competition highlights the growing role of agri-tech innovation in enhancing farms business, with 83 per cent of farmers of the 151 UK farmers surveyed agreeing it can improve efficiency and 72 per cent agreeing it can improve profitability.
However, 72 per cent of farmers urged government and retailers to make funding available for innovative farm technology, and 48 per cent called for subsidised opportunities to trial new approaches, up nine percentage points year-on-year.
Claire Lorains, technical and sustainability director at Tesco, said: “The farmers we work with are telling us innovation has a critical role to play in helping the industry become more productive, efficient and resilient.
“But a promising idea will only make a meaningful difference if there is a practical and realistic path to implementing it on a farm. That’s especially true in a year when British farmers have faced challenging conditions, including record heat and widespread drought,” she continued.
