The Farmers Mart Aug/Sep 2016 - Issue 47 | Page 49

Arable NEW OPEN INNOVATION EVENT WILL SHAPE AGRI-FOOD INDUSTRY » OPEN DISCUSSION AND innovative thinking are the key to shaping a viable food and farming industry, and a new annual event aims to facilitate just that. Drawing on successful approaches in other industries, the Rothamsted Open Innovation Forum will bring together leading scientists, farmers, manufacturers and others in the food supply chain to identify pioneering ways to meet the challenges and opportunities ahead. “Open innovation is all about bringing the brightest and best in the industry together, to capture and exchange ideas on the big challenges in the agri-food sector,” says Chris Dunkley, part of the organising team and chief executive of Rothamsted Centre for Research and Enterprise. “Using online forums, conferences and workshops we can foster a collaborative approach to develop gamechanging solutions to the benefit of everyone in the industry.” The first conference will be held on 18-20 January 2017 at Rothamsted, the longest running agricultural research station in the world. It will be followed up with focussed workshops to develop the ideas generated into concrete opportunities for multi-partner collaboration. “It is this practical implementation of ideas that marks the Open Innovation Forum out from other conferences,” says Mr Dunkley. “This isn’t just a talking shop; it’s designed to have real and lasting results.” Some of the challenges that are likely to be raised include climate change, antibiotic and chemical resistance, changing consumer requirements, finance, and food security. “But the agenda will be set by everyone who gets involved with the forum,” says Mr Dunkley. “We have no fixed outcomes: The aim of this annual event is to bring the industry together to find practical answers to the big questions.” After the conference a White Paper will record existing best practice and highlight specific areas of innovation where collaboration would accelerate progress for the industry as a whole. It will also identify measures to facilitate a more collaborative culture in the agri-food sector. The first phase of the project is to encourage discussion on The Online Blackboard, with industry experts leading individual topic areas, from pests and weeds to agri-technology and livestock nutrition. The conference will then take forward the challenges identified, with a mixture of keynote speakers, practical case studies and problem-solving group discussions. This will be followed up with the White Paper, collaboration workshops and ongoing research projects, all of which will feed into the 2018 annual event. “The global agri-food industry faces considerable demands and opportunities in the years and decades ahead,” says Achim Dobermann, CEO and director of Rothamsted Research. Proud to have been fuelling Britain’s farms for more than 80 years Gas Oil, Diesel & Heating Oil Lubricants & AdBlue Fuel tanks & Heating Services Competitive prices & reliable delivery service New for 2016 - Gas Oil Plus - designed specifically for the modern tractor engine CONTACT OUR AGRICULTURAL TEAM TODAY 0800 542 4207 | [email protected] | www.rix.co.uk 265 x 180 Farmers Mart Advert - Summer 2016.indd 1 09/08/2016 08:56:12 www.farmers-mart.co.uk Aug/Sep 2016 49