Sencrop has opened its first UK facility at NIAB’s Barn4 AgriTech Incubator in the hope of creating new research and collaboration opportunities to benefit British farmers.

Mark Herriman, sales account executive at Sencrop says the move is a very positive step. “NIAB has a long history of scientific research and Sencrop can help with bringing some of that research to farmers.

“For example, NIAB has been working on a potato yield model which could be integrated into the Sencrop app.”

Also, while Sencrop already has a potato blight decision support tool, data NIAB holds on susceptibility of potato varieties to the disease could be used to refine the tool, adds NIAB digital account manager Charles Gentry.

Growing network

The company hopes to grow its network of weather stations by working more closely with NIAB through Barn4. “We will have direct access to station information and will be able to feed local data to NIAB agronomists to aid their on-farm decision-making, says Mark.

Another opportunity Sencrop – with its Southern Europe wine know-how – is looking to make the most of is viticulture, a sector which has grown significantly in the UK in the last few years, says Mark. “The UK vineyard market is very exciting now. There are 900 vineyards, 500 of which operate on a commercial basis.

“Taking East Anglia, there are vineyards in Norfolk, Suffolk, Hertfordshire, Essex and Cambridgeshire. It is partly climate change that is leading farmers to grow vines, but they are also taking advantage of soil types similar to those in the French wine regions. We will be developing new disease modelling with NIAB.”

Charles adds: “We are seeing more and more vineyards being planted. As these grow, it is the perfect opportunity to get invested in the right tech to help produce the best crop.”

Further collaboration

As well as NIAB, there is also the opportunity to work with the other agri-tech businesses using the Barn4 incubator. “It offers flexible office and lab space which allows start-ups to grow, and NIAB can help with any guidance needed on the UK agricultural market,

“It is an interesting time. Having a UK base will bring lots of opportunities, and being able to collaborate with NIAB means there will be many exciting projects on the horizon.”