The Horticulture Innovation Partnership

Extending links for collaborative research and

innovation in Horticulture

Mary BosleyChair of the HIP

Why is Horticulture innovation important to the UK economy ?

• Sector makes a vital contribution to jobs, food security, nutrition, health and well-being.

• Employs over 100,000 workers.

• Occupies 5% of the (non-grass) cropped land area.

• Produces 40% of total farm gate sales, worth £3.4 billion.

• Three-fold value-added multiplier downstream in processing and supply chains.

Source: Defra (2011) and AHDB MI (2011).

The Challenges

A vision for innovation which prioritises research needs and aligns with funders’ policies and priorities and helps industry to:

• Expand UK and overseas markets.

• Drive profitability along the supply chain.

• Enhance competitiveness & resilience

How the HIP works

• A developing partnership between growers, suppliers, processors, packers, retailers, policymakers, research funders and providers.

• Launched in March 2013 - conceived and funded by industry as an independent stakeholder organisation.

• Industry-led activities through tri-partite working groups comprising industry, research providers and funders.

• The HIP Funders Group informs research funders of the research challenges faced by industry.

How the HIP works

The Partnership has worked together to develop a shared vision for business innovation to create a resilient Industry, able to take advantage of expanding opportunities in a global marketplace. The HIP is:

• A contact point to influence research funds offered by Govt. and other organisations.

• Ensuring there are funded programs directly relevant to Horticulture and Potatoes.

A HIP case study – Ornamentals Strategy

• Initiative joining up whole ornamental supply chain raising industry profile and demonstrating the benefits of plants and landscapes.

• 13 industry organisations contributed and circa100 others consulted.

• Identified 9 key research objectives to deliver the benefits.

• Objective to influence policy and priority setting across Govt. departments and to encourage Research Councils to use existing and new funding schemes to deliver the agenda.

Extending links for collaboration – as Horticulture Coordinators for BBSRC

• As the coordinator for the BBSRC Horticulture and Potato Initiative (HAPI), the HIP is steering researchers to focus on the Industry’s challenges to deliver business benefits.

• 10 projects funded through HAPI rounds 1 & 2.

• The HIP advocates industry partners’ needs & ensures pathway to impact and knowledge sharing.

• Fostering wider links between projects to create a HAPI community.

• Building awareness of successful collaborations between companies & researchers to secure further participation in public-private funding.

Extending links for collaboration – Horticulture Knowledge Exchange Fellowship

A new Research Councils’ initiative - BBSRC / NERC co-funded 3 KE fellows in partnership with the HIP, who will:

• Facilitate networks between industry and academic research groups to enable an accelerated uptake of research outputs.

• Enable supply chain businesses to access NERC and BBSRC research investments to address innovation needs.

• Publicise advances that could benefit industry.

• Highlight gaps in knowledge & barriers to the uptake of research.

• Translate industry challenges into clear & prioritised research opportunities.

Extending links for collaboration – the Agri-Tech Strategy

• Disappointingly the HIP- led Innovation Centre (IC) proposal did not succeed.

• The proposal, built through extensive consultation with the supply chain & capturing industry priorities, remains valid.

• The HIP has engaged with emerging consortia to include these priorities in their proposals and we shall continue drive discussions with the funded ICs.

• The HIP can make the connections between the ICs and provide an interface to the industry.

• Sector positioned to take best advantage of the Agri-Tech ICs to energise innovation and drive growth.

Conclusion

• The HIP is extending links for collaborative research and innovation for horticulture.

• By driving discussions with HIP stakeholders to ensure future research and innovation needs are clearly articulated to potential funders and investors.

• We are facilitating stakeholder engagement in relevant funding initiatives and opportunities through our communications activities.

• We welcome you to be part of the HIP community - visit www.hip.org.uk