Farming Innovation Programme: Small R&D Partnership Projects Rd 4
Award: £1,000,000 to £3,000,000
Programme: Innovate UK and the Department for Environment Food & Rural Affairs
Closing date: 5th November 2025
Introduction
The Farming Innovation Programme, funded by DEFRA and delivered by Innovate UK, supports collaborative R&D to boost productivity, sustainability, resilience, and net-zero in England’s agri-food sector.
Round 4 of the Small R&D Partnership Projects competition funds business-led projects that bring farmers, growers, and researchers together to develop and trial innovative solutions for agriculture and land management.
Eligibility
To be eligible for Round 4, your project must meet the following requirements:
Your project must:
- have total costs between £1 million and £3 million
- last up to 30 months
- be collaborative
- carry out all of its project work in the UK
- intend to exploit the results from or in England
- start by 1 July 2026
- end by 31 Dec 2028
The aim of this competition is to:
- develop solutions with the potential to improve overall productivity, sustainability, resilience and move existing agricultural sectors to net-zero.
- ensure solutions have positive outputs for farmers, growers, or foresters in commercially relevant situations.
- develop new agricultural solutions by collaboration through engagement with end users and the UK research community in the innovation process.
- accelerate adoption by ensuring knowledge exchange with the wider sector and other stakeholders.
Award & Project Duration
- Award: £1m to £3m
- Project Duration: Up to 30 months.
Key Dates
- Closes: 5th November 2025.
