The UK government has announced a £3 million investment to develop, test and scale up new and alternative fertilisers.
The announcement was made at the Agriculture Innovation Mission for Climate (AIM for Climate) Summit, which is taking place in Washington DC.
More than 20 countries are attending to further progress on the Agriculture Breakthrough, a collaborative effort launched under the UK’s COP26 presidency.
As part of this, the UK announced it will join the US-led Global Fertiliser Challenge, investing £3 million to develop new fertilisers that can help the environment.
In partnership with the US, the UK’s investment will fund a new Efficient Fertiliser Consortium, led by the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research.
Research will be carried out to advance efficient, environmentally beneficial and cost-effective fertilisers and management practices.
Launched during the UK’s presidency of COP26, AIM for Climate seeks to increase investment in climate smart agricultural innovation.
The Agriculture Breakthrough is a UK-led collaboration between governments to accelerate development and deployment of clean technologies.
Its goal is “to make climate-resilient, sustainable agriculture the most attractive and widely adopted option for farmers everywhere by 2030”.
Attending the summit in Washington DC, Defra farming minister Mark Spencer said innovation was key to unlocking a more sustainable, profitable future for farmers.
He added that it was 'vital' for government to join together at the international table to share expertise and best practice.
"And fund new research to catalyse pioneering solutions that will support farmers to meet the challenges of food security while delivering for our environment," Mr Spencer added.
"Alongside today’s £3m investment, we are investing hundreds of millions of pounds in ongoing support and one-off grants every year for UK farmers.
"We must continue to foster this innovation not only at home but around the world, and I encourage countries to get onboard as we work to generate a real breakthrough for the agri-food sector."
