Martin Collison makes the case in Cambridge News for agritech to help address global food shortages at a time when the number of people short of food has just risen, by 38m in one year, for the first time in over a decade when the number of malnourished people has been falling. The full story is at:
http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/business/business-news/global-food-shortage-agritech-answer-13725869
read moreThe Interreg SALFAR project which looks at “Thinking green” to create a real change of perspective in farming and food producing, a change of behaviour for the consumers of food, and, for authorities, re-thinking water management and changing policies on environment and agriculture in coastal areas, held its launch meeting in Lincoln from the 25th-27th September 2017.
read moreMartin Collison’s article in the New Statesman’s Midlands Engine supplement for the party conferences, argues that the food chain will embrace robotics to help it meet future growth challenges
The article is at: ns_midlands_supplement_sept_2017
read moreThe East of England Science and Innovation Audit (SAI) was published on 21st September 2017 at Venturefest East, during a presentation by Lord Prior to launch 8 Wave 2 SIAs. Martin Collison was involved in the agritech strand of this work which features 4 sectors: agritech; life sciences; ICT; advanced manufacturing and materials. The report and its appendices show real strengths across all four of these themes.
read moreMartin Collison ran 2 workshops at the Rural Services Network Conference in Cheltenham in early September on how short food chains can help deliver economic growth. Speaking about the EU H2020 funded SKIN project as well as Food Enterprise Zones, Martin stressed the role that investment beyond the farm gate held real promise for agriculture and food companies as the market for food traceability grows.
read moreThe crowd at the opening of Hannam Wake Hub
Martin Collison, chairman of the Cambridgeshire Fens Leader group, was delighted to attend the opening of the new enlarged facilities at the Hannam Wake Hub near Ely which was supported by Leader funding.
read moreThe Short Supply Chain Knowledge and Innovation Network (SKIN) project website has gone live. The network is an EU Thematic Network focused on how we can reduce the number of steps in the food chain so that we both help consumers understand where their food comes from at the same time as helping primary producers (farmers and food processors) obtain a larger share of the final consumer value. The network which was launched in November 2016 has initial funding for three years to collate and disseminate best practices from across Europe. Collison and Associates are one of 20 partners in the network who will work with the food industry to promote short food chains.
read moreMartin Collison was very pleased to sit on the panel for the launch of the Greater Lincolnshire Water Management Plan in Louth on 24th February 2017. This ambitious 25 year plan seeks to unite water supply with flood management and innovative ways of working. The full story is available at:
https://www.greaterlincolnshirelep.co.uk/whats-new/plan-unveiled-to-tackle-flood-risk-and-water-supply/
read moreMartin Collison spoke at an event on how to secure water for agriculture at Easton and Otley College on 16th February, alongside Jean Spencer, Director of Anglian Water and Henry Leveson-Gower, Head of Water Abstraction at DEFRA. Martin promoted the idea that we are not, contrary to popular opinion short of water, even in the dry East of England, but rather that we are short of water management having failed to invest enough in all aspects of water management over many decades. He argued that we need to unite flood prevention and water supply and manage water at the landscape scale, applying new technology and innovation in relation to how we organise and manage water collaboratively.
read moreMartin Collison welcomed the publication of the evaluation report on the European Innovation Partnership for Agricultural Productivity and Sustainability (EIP Agri) on which Martin worked during 2016 for SQW in a project led by Coffey International.
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