FTS exists to provide leadership and collaboration at the international level, in the CEA industry. However, we recognise that, to get real on the ground traction requires organising at more local, regional and national levels. So we have made it a priority for us to encourage the creation of these networks, and to nurture and support them where they already exist. To that end, we’re pleased to have a chance to talk with UK Urban AgriTech (UKUAT), about what they’re doing and what their aims are for the future.
FTS: Hi there, and thanks for agreeing to have a chat with us!
UKUAT: Thanks for inviting us. It’s great to have the opportunity to talk about UKUAT outside of the UK
FTS: So, tell us a bit more about UK Urban AgriTech – how did it get started, where are you at now, and where do you intend to get to?
UKUAT: The first online call meeting took place on the 17th July 2017 with only 8 people. From that moment on we continued to have monthly meetings up to today. The members have increased substantially since, and we now count around 30 organisational members, made up of a mixture of companies and academic institutions, plus various individuals with an interest in the industry. We’re excited to have announced our formalisation into a company earlier this year, which we followed up with the first AGM, the first elected Board of Directors (BoD) and the appointment of our Advisory Board. Going forward, what we want to do is essentially get more members and increase our activities and representation of the UK industry. The industry is young, but it is growing rapidly, and we want to help that to be recognised and supported.
FTS: We know from our own experience at FTS, how challenging it can be to organise, to represent the industry, and to get results as an association. How have you gone about structuring your organisation and how does this help you to achieve your goals?
UKUAT: You’re right! We had to think long and hard about this. As UKUAT grew, we collectively took the decision to create a BoD, and Advisory Board and four Working Groups.
- Board of Directors
UKUAT has now a formalised and elected BoD which consists of five members, Mark Horler (founder) as the chair, Johnny Stormonth-Darling as Secretary (and website wizard!), Paul Myers (Farm Urban) as Treasurer, Katia Zacharaki (Digital Farming) as Director of Communications and Oscar Rodriguez (Architecture & Food) as Director of Policy. Our BoD e-meets monthly discussing the progress of the working groups and other organisational matters. - Advisory Board
Every quarter the BoD reports to the Advisory Board, during the meeting members review and construct feedback for the next BoD meeting. The Advisory Board will also consider and work to create a long term strategic overview of and for the industry. The Advisory Board consists of six experts of different areas of AgriTech Charlie Guy (LettUs Grow), Mike Ratcliffe (Aquaponics Lab), Rachael Symonds (Liverpool John Moores University), Nicole Thorpe (Cultinova), Laura Vickers (Harper Adams University) and Peter Wootton-Beard (Aberystwyth University).
- Working Groups:
- Education & Outreach
UKUAT will provide an education platform for running meaningful outreach projects, by creating, leading and delivering education sessions that inform and inspire the next generation of farmers, agriculturalists and consumers. Each member takes responsibility for being a pioneer in the Urb Ag movement and a (thought) leader in their field - Policy & Advocacy
UKUAT will encourage, enable and facilitate the creation of policy frameworks which meet the needs of urban agritech industry and projects. In so doing, it will give the industry a voice in wider governmental agricultural policy. - Publicity & Promotion
UKUAT will act as a platform for companies to increase their individual personal reach and to improve the image of the industry. Such a well-connected (locally and globally) body will enable both small voices and big voices to be given equal exposure/footing on the platform. - Research & Expertise
UKUAT will act as an informational exchange hub and platform for the creation of new technical knowledge. There is a great wealth of expertise spread throughout the membership and we want to make it easy for our members to benefit from that. By building a knowledge repository and facilitating research collaboration we hope to demystify some of the technical barriers to entry for industry newcomers and further the agendas of those already operating in the space.
- Education & Outreach
The four groups will meet monthly to brainstorm, plan and review for the relevant four areas of the organisation. Our main target is for the members to have the most possible benefit, and active involvement in the planning and implementation is an ideal way to help achieve that.
In person meeting 2019 at GreenLab with Liberty Produce, Intelligent Growth Solutions Limited, GE Current, a Daintree company, SATURN BIOPONICS LTD, V-FarmHG, Cultinova, Kathryn Smethurst (Priva), Aquaponics Lab, LettUs Grow, Grow Bristol CIC, Hive Urban Farms, Digital Farming, Greens for Good by Farm Urban, Yeeld, SQUARE MILE FARMS, Oscar Rodriguez FRSA
FTS: Looking at the bigger picture, how do you think your network can work with FTS at the international level?
UKUAT: Like you said in your introduction, more regional networks offer a way to really get things done. Whilst an international organisation like the FarmTech Society can set the broader agenda, how that gets implemented will vary from place to place. At the same time, regional networks can bring in smaller members, like urban vertical farms for example, which may not wish to join an international body, but see the value of being part of that wider network. In the end, like any network, there has to be nodes.
FTS: Looking at it the other way around, do you see the emergence of smaller and more localised networks? How might you go about interacting with them?
UKUAT: Yes, we think this is likely. UKUAT started at the national level because the number of organisations was small, and because we felt it was important as it grows to have influence at that level. Nevertheless, smaller clusters are now beginning to appear across the country.These might, for example, aim to engage with city-level municipal authorities. Their relationship to us, would be much as ours is to FTS. We would seek to encourage and nurture them, but at the same time accept that they will be independent of us and will follow their own aims and agenda. That’s a good and healthy thing!
FTS: Finally, how can any of our readers in the UK get involved with this?
UKUAT: AgriTech enthusiasts, entrepreneurs and organisations based in the UK can join on our website https://www.ukuat.org/, and fill out a short form. After that we get in touch with you to discuss your skills and expertise, and what you want to achieve in UKUAT. Then an email is circulated within the members introducing the new entrant. From that time on, the new member can be involved in all online calls, access the online members area and choose a working group that would like to contribute to. At the moment, individuals can join UKUAT for free, while organisations join with £60 yearly membership.
FTS: Great! Thanks so much for taking the time to talk with us today. We wish you every success and look forward to working with you in the future.
UKUAT: Thank you for the opportunity to share with your audience the potentials and benefits of our organisation. We’re excited for what comes next!
FOR UKUAT
Katia Zacharaki
Director of Communications
Johnny Stormonth-Darling
Director & Company Secretary
We want you, our readers, to know more about who our members are and what they’re doing. So we put together the FTS finds out more series, to do just that!
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