| Cereals
Getting Generation Y inspired by Agri-Tech at Cereals
Agri-Tech East ’ s Young Innovators ' Forum bridges lab and land .
C ould keeping wheat foliage green until the end of harvest boost yields ? This is just one of the research projects to be discussed at a special event for young farmers and early career scientists at Cereals 2016 .
To bridge the gap between lab and land and stimulate mutually beneficial discussions , Agri- Tech East is focusing on ‘ Generation Y ’ ( those born in the 80s and 90s ) and has developed the Young Innovators ' Forum ( YIF ) with a special event happening at Cereals 2016 .
“ There are some interesting views about knowledge exchange and I think Agri-Tech East is definitely on the right path by helping to facilitate those discussions ”
Dr Belinda Clarke , Director of Agri-Tech East , explains : “ Young people at the start of their careers are digital natives – they are socially connected , used to getting their information visually and trust their peers . They look at the world in a different way and this gives the industry access to fresh ideas and inspiration .
“ For too long there has been a disconnect between the world of the scientist and the reality of the farm , by getting this younger generation to mix socially and have the opportunity to talk about the challenges they face , we can start to create real change in the industry .”
After talking to regional Young Farmers groups and PhD students at the research
24 | Farming Monthly | June 2016 organisations Agri-Tech East coordinated some ‘ get to know you ’ sessions , which have taken place in labs , on farms and in specialist facilities such as the botanic garden .
“ These events have proved very successful with a formula that works , so we are delighted that The Morley Agricultural Foundation ( TMAF ) has agreed to sponsor the YIF initiative which will allow us to take it further ,” says Belinda .
Agri-Tech East is hosting a YIF event at Cereals on the BBSRC stand ( 702 ). Young farmers are being invited to meet young scientists from the John Innes Centre , Rothamsted Research and Aberystwyth University ’ s IBERS over cake and ale .
A wide variety of research interests will be on display to stimulate discussion and create a two-way discussion of where research is going and how industry can respond and provide direction .
Posters include : how the Raspberry Pi , an easy to programme low cost computer that is being used by Tim Peake for experiments in space , can be used to understand seed vigour in oil seed rape crops ; if keeping wheat foliage greener for longer will sustain photosynthesis and improve yield ; and a new foliage treatment for grasses that will increase protein concentration without additional nitrogen application .
John Wallace , TMAF Chairman , comments : “ I most certainly think that agri-tech is making the agri-food industry a better career option for young people . It ' s really whizzy and attractive and it creates a competitive environment in which young people can do really well .
“ There are some interesting views about knowledge exchange and I think Agri-Tech East
John Wallace , TMAF Chairman
( courtesy TMAF ) is definitely on the right path by helping to facilitate those discussions .”
Previous YIF events have seen young farmers and scientists exchange views about yellow rust on barley , seen laboratory robots in action , watched “ real time insect pollination of crop plants ”, marvelled at huge pipes of living algae and watched real-time gene sequencing . Outside they have had first-hand experience of a dairy farm , and will be getting together to talk tomatoes at Cornerways Nursery and seed breeding of cereals and oil seed rape at KWS .
Young Innovators ' Forum will be on stand 702 at Cereals from 15:30-17:00 on 15 June 2016 , with an evening reception afterwards that will include wine and canapes . To participate in the Cereals event you need to register ; more details are available at www . agritecheast . co . uk / events / cereals-2016
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