UK Government Invests $28m In AI, IoT And High-Tech Farming Projects

The UK Government has invested $28 million in several high-tech farming projects, which are aimed at cutting down pollution, minimizing waste and producing more food. The investment is part of the Government's modern Industrial Strategy, for which the UK has committed to boost R&D spending to 2.4 percent of GDP by 2027. The projects include Warwickshire-based Rootwave, which will use a $875,000 grant to use electricity instead of chemicals to kill weeds from the roots, avoiding damage to crops. Tuberscan, in Lincolnshire, will use $496,000 to develop ground penetrating radar, underground scans and artificial intelligence (AI) to monitor potato crops and identify when they are ready to harvest. The government hopes the technology will increase the usable crop by an estimated 5 to 10%, as well as reducing food waste with minimal additional costs.