Could eating insects be the key to a sustainable planet? A new business development programme designed to promote entrepreneurship in Worcestershire’s agri-tech industry got off to a thought-provoking start last week with an online event that looked at tackling issues such as climate change through more efficient food production.
Laboratory-grown meats, farming insects for protein and using robotics to plug labour shortages were just three of the topics examined at Future Food Solutions: opportunities in agri-food, the first of three virtual seminars hosted by Pershore College’s GrowAgri project showing how innovation in agricultural technology could provide solutions to problems such as food insecurity.
Those attending heard from academics and industry specialists from across the food industry, talk about the impact farming has on the environment, causing pressures on natural resources and contributing to greenhouse gas emissions and global warming.
With the global population that is set to rise to over 9 billion people by 2050, delegates heard from Dr Anil de Sequeira, leader of the Food with Nutrition degree programme from Bath Spa University, about immediate challenges including scarcity of land, water shortages and the impact of livestock farming on carbon emissions.
Dr Sequeira introduced the idea that eating insects could be a viable protein alternative to meat. A taste that has yet to take hold in the western world but valued as a source of nourishment for millions in parts of Africa, South America and Asia.
The theme of alternative protein production was continued by Dr Megan Barrow from Tewkesbury-based Applikon Biotechnology. Dr Barrow outlined the different applications for bioreactors across the food and drink industry and highlighted the growing demand for alternative meat-free products across the world. Amongst other products such as vaccines and pharmaceuticals, bioreactor apparatus has a history of being used to ferment myco-proteins into alternative meat products such as Quorn.
The session also heard from Gary Woodman, chief executive of Worcestershire LEP who spoke about regional challenges facing Worcestershire’s food sector which included labour shortages to pick produce. He fully expected the development of robotics and automation to play a significant role in agricultural production needs in the future.
Finally, the audience heard from event organiser, Dr Anjana Patel, research scientist at Pershore College whose presentation speculated whether gene edited foods could help to create more resilient agricultural crops.
Dr Patel said: “The Future Food Solutions webinar outlined the wider context of food security and some of the problems caused by intensive agriculture and the effects of climate change.
“Every country around the world is experiencing the effects of global warming, whether it’s wildfires in Australia, hurricanes in the Caribbean or the increasing amount of flooding here in the UK. Farming and the food industry are clearly facing a variety of urgent challenges that need to be addressed.
“This is where agri-tech can play a key part, and innovative scientists and engineers across the UK are attempting to find smarter ways of dealing with these problems. Entrepreneurial startups in a range of sectors are currently developing a range of technologies such as vertical farming, precision farming and agricultural biotechnology.
“The Agri-Tech Research Centre here at Pershore is currently developing a drone surveillance programme aimed at reducing pesticide use in crops. This research is taught to students on our Agri-Tech foundation degree programme who have the opportunity to get hands-on experience.
“Pershore College was lucky to host prominent local, academic and industrial experts across the food sector and we are grateful to all our speakers who participated in the event.”
Two more webinars covering similar topics are being planned for the spring.
For more information about the GrowAgri project, email [email protected] go to www.wcg.ac.uk/growagribusinesssupport or call Anjana Patel on 0330 135 7158.