Agrifood
The Cape water crisis and the UK fruit system
The UK imports 327,000 tons of fresh fruits from South Africa each year, being the second most important source after Spain. In particular, a large proportion of the UK’s imports of grapefruit (32%), oranges (23%), ‘easy-peelers’ ...
Autonomous systems for environmental monitoring
Autonomous systems are a key priority in governmental agendas. In 2013, David Willetts included them as one of the Eight Great Technologies that will propel the UK to future growth. In 2017, the Industrial Strategy ...
Avoca-don’t? The global avocado crisis and the question of supply system resilience
“Holy Guacamole” and “Guaca-moolah”! Headline writers and twitter addicts have had a field day over the recent surge in prices for avocados, but joking aside, the combination of factors leading to poor harvests that have caused ...
Are you interested in progressing agricultural science but worried about how to cover the bills?
I am a third year PhD student at Cranfield University looking at the effects of tillage on soil health. My research was made possible by funding I received from the NFU Mutual Centenary Award. My ...
Using European Space Agency expertise to grow better crops
When you hear the words European Space Agency (ESA), ambitious missions to mars or spectacular crash-landings on comets may come to mind. What is less likely to occur is agriculture and improving crop yields. But ...
We need to talk about plants!
Last month I had the chance to take part in the New Scientist Live exhibition in London. The event was advertised as ‘a festival of ideas and discovery’ but it definitely was much more than ...