The Lincolnshire local authority has reaffirmed its commitment to the future of farming at a time when red flags have been raised over climate and UK food pricing.
West Lindsey’s Agricultural Growth Zone (Agri-Zone) aims to boost the region’s economy and create hundreds of jobs in specialist industries. A focus will be placed on developing new innovations and fostering a skilled workforce.
Tenants already include the Barclay’s Eagle Lab and SmartFert Ltd, which specialises in renewable fertilisers, transforming low-value residues into high-performing fertilisers. By 2035, the cluster will have expanded significantly, emptying more than 730 professionals, adding £94.5million to the food chain, £31,5million to the agri-tech sector, with an overall Gross Value Added (GVA) uplift of £165m.
‘West Lindsey’s economy is ideally located to benefit from a number of internationally significant sectors, including defence, clean energy, advanced manufacturing and agri-tech,’ said Sally Grindrod-Smith, Director of Planning, Regeneration and Communities at West Lindsey. ‘In line with this opportunity, our ambition is to support the development of a UK-leading, multi-sector skills and innovation cluster, backed by a proactive public sector that creates the right conditions for growth.’
‘There are many similarities between innovation in ag-tech and defence, and these events are critical to strengthening support for our emerging sectors,’ added James Makinson-Sanders, Economic Growth Manager at West Lindsey. ‘Today is about enabling Lincolnshire’s businesses to discuss shared opportunities and challenges, and most importantly how these sectors can work together to boost resilience, drive innovation and contribute to local economic growth.’
This month, the IGD and EY climate risk assessment suggested that Britain’s current policy, legislative and supply chain trajectory was on course to produce £2.6billion in additional food costs by 2050. Domestic capacity was highlighted as a cause for concern, alongside trade with key sourcing regions including Spain and the Netherlands.
Image: Erwan Hesry / Unsplash
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