The UK government has unveiled a £50m funding package to ramp up the rollout of new farming technologies, as it looks to boost productivity and sustainability across the sector.

Led by the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) and Innovate UK, the investment is set to support up to 12 technologies moving from development to on-farm use, backed by £8m in public funding and alongside an additional £40m from private investors.

The programme will range across innovations from robotics to AI, as well as nature-based solutions aimed at reducing reliance on chemicals and improving resilience.

Among the projects, Fera Science Ltd (FA Bio) is developing a biological pesticide using fungi to protect crops such as wheat and oilseed rape, while Rhizocore Technologies is working on soil fungi solutions to improve tree growth and carbon capture.

“Farmers know the right tools can make all the difference,” said farming minister Angela Eagle said.

“This investment is about getting practical, proven technology into their hands faster – whether that’s improving animal health, cutting costs or making day-to-day jobs easier.

By backing innovation with both public and private funding, we’re supporting farm businesses to boost productivity, strengthen resilience and help secure the future of British agriculture.”

Innovate UK head of agrifood Chris Danks added: “The success of this latest round shows how Investor Partnerships help high-potential UK businesses grow and scale by combining public grant funding with private investment, turning great ideas into commercial success.

By launching a new round, we are continuing to back innovation that gives farmers access to practical, scalable technologies that improve productivity, resilience and sustainability, while also supporting long-term economic growth.

This approach accelerates commercialisation, builds investable businesses, and helps crowd in private finance for the benefit of the UK economy.”

Looking ahead, the organisation said further support is planned with an additional £5m springboard funding round confirmed for 2026 to 2027.