Deadline: 20-Oct-21
The UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) is pleased to launch Build a Network to Research Sustainable Agri-food for Net Zero target to develop a research network that will focus on improving the sustainability of the agri-food system.
Focus Areas
Your network is expected to:
- focus on improving the sustainability of the agri-food system to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
- build new interdisciplinary partnerships across the UKRI portfolio
- be informed by stakeholders
- develop plans for future research and innovation.
Themes
- Consultation with the research and user communities has identified that a systems approach is necessary to significantly progress the complex challenge of achieving net zero.
- Such an approach should consider the wider agri-food system and agri-based ecosystem services, as well as consumer and producer behaviour changes, supported by large and reliable data sets to develop digital technologies for effective monitoring.
- Whole systems approaches are needed so that trade-offs are understood by engaging with the resource priorities and time pressures across the entirety of agriculture and food. Therefore, applicants should ensure that the network is structured to encourage a whole systems approach and interdisciplinary working.
- UKRI’s priorities in the area of agri-food can be broadly considered under four thematic areas embodied in a systems view:
- sustainable environment:
- climate change and planning for resilience
- biodiversity and other environmental co-benefits
- soil health and function
- land management and use from field to landscape scale
- sustainable primary production:
- livestock and management of emissions
- plant and animal breeding and genetics for adaptation and resilience
- novel agricultural systems and technologies, for example alternative protein production, controlled environment, precision farming and use of robotics and autonomous systems
- reducing fertiliser, manure, slurry and organic matter related emissions
- sustainable processing manufacturing and consumption, for example:
- decarbonising food and drink manufacture (for example refrigeration)
- consumer behaviour and dietary preferences
- producer response to changing consumer preferences
- understanding cultures, traditions and social movements around food and farming that can be barriers to adoption and influence social acceptability
- agri-food systems and bioeconomy, for example:
- decarbonising farms (including machinery and vehicles), on farm energy generation, bioenergy crops
- net zero agri-food business models and policy, facilitate adoption of new production practices
- circular economy for agri-food system to better make use of waste streams
- sensing, efficient, and effective measurements to better understand the production of GHG in the agri-food system
- complex system modeling, data analysis, artificial intelligence, digital twin development to inform the necessary changes in agri-food.
- sustainable environment:
- The examples given under each theme are indicative and represent a non-exhaustive and non-prescriptive list. Applicants are expected to structure the themes and priorities within their application as they consider most appropriate.
- Proposals should clearly explain the approach(es) that would be taken to ensure the Network Plus covers thematic areas in an integrated manner.
Funding Information
- They will invest a total of between £3.5 million and £4 million to support one Network Plus (at 80% full economic cost). This funding amount will be confirmed shortly and applicants who submit an expression of interest will be informed.
- An award will be made for up to 36 months duration.
- Funding requested under the ‘directly allocated’ cost heading may include investigators’ salaries. The principal investigator and up to 10 co-investigators can request funds to cover their salary costs for the time spent on setting up and leading the Network Plus. The salary costs of Network Plus participants should not be included in the proposal.
- Funding requested under the ‘directly incurred’ cost heading may include the following costs.
What they are looking for?
- Vision
- The purpose of this opportunity is to establish a single Network Plus (network plus research) on sustainable agri-food for net zero, to convene and catalyse an interdisciplinary multi-stakeholder community and support feasibility projects. These projects will explore how sectoral transformation can be most effectively catalysed.
- The Network Plus will provide research and innovation evidence in support of strategies to sustainably reduce or mitigate greenhouse gas emissions from the agri-food sector. The Network Plus will also consider approaches to adapt UK agri-food systems to ensure sustainability and increased resilience to climate change and the resulting environmental impacts, including:
- biodiversity loss
- changes in land use
- other ecosystem services.
- This Network Plus will support the radical transformation of the agri-food system required to enable the UK to meet its net zero target.
- Identifying the most effective route to such transformation will require a coordinated and interdisciplinary research and innovation approach that covers the wider agri-food system and agri-based ecosystem services, as well as consumer and producer behaviour changes.
- It will also require the development of supporting digital technologies and coordinated, reliable datasets, and the alignment of stakeholder’s expertise and priorities across the UK agri-food landscape.
Eligibility Criteria
- Institutional eligibility:
- Standard UKRI eligibility criteria apply to this opportunity and applicants from eligible UK-based organisations are invited.
- Institutions and researchers normally eligible for UKRI funding include:
- higher education institutes
- research institutes
- approved public sector research establishments
- approved independent research organisations.
- Applications from organisations or individuals that are not eligible will be rejected.
- Please note each institution may lead on only one application, however institutions may be a partner in multiple applications.
- Investigator eligibility:
- Research in sustainable agri-food for net zero requires an interdisciplinary approach. Therefore, applications are encouraged from broad multidisciplinary teams.
- The principal investigator must be working in a science discipline.
- Co-investigators from across UKRI’s remit, from disciplines outside those directly linked to agri-food and from other eligible research organisations may be included to bring new ideas and perspectives to the net zero challenge.
- Investigators must be academic employees (lecturer or equivalent) of an eligible organisation and must be a resident in the UK.
- Any fellows holding fellowships aimed primarily at the postdoctoral level are not eligible to apply.
- UKRI fellows, Royal Society fellows, Welcome Trust fellows and Royal Academy of Engineering fellows holding fellowships aimed at later career stages are eligible to apply.
- Holders of fellowships under other schemes that provide financial support for additional or support staff should check with the contacts for this opportunity to establish eligibility. This may be given on an individual case-by-case basis rather than as blanket eligibility for all fellows under any scheme.
- Principal investigators should normally hold a permanent post, but fixed-term employees may be eligible provided that:
- UKRI can be satisfied that the host research organisation is prepared to give the individual all the support normal for a permanent employee
- there is no conflict of interest between the investigator’s obligations to UKRI and to any other organisation or employer.
- The term of employment of a fixed-term employee must extend beyond the duration of the proposed research project.
- Co-investigators are expected to meet all the eligibility criteria for principal investigators except for the requirement to hold a contract that extends beyond the end date of the proposal.
For more information, visit https://beta.ukri.org/opportunity/build-a-network-to-research-sustainable-agri-food-for-net-zero/