“The inspiration originated from Instagram videos,” remarks Tom Amery. It provides a stunning view of one of three large drones acquired to aid in cultivating watercress on a farm in Hampshire.

This drone is equipped with four rotary blades and can transport up to 50kg of fertilizer, seeds, or feed for spraying, thanks to extensive research conducted by Amelie, who frequently utilizes various social media platforms focused on agricultural technology.

Amery and The Watercress Company, led by managing directors, are among the food producers striving to integrate advanced technology into one of the oldest professions to accelerate processes and increase output amid extreme weather challenges. This critical issue has drawn government attention, resulting in the inclusion of Agri-Tech in its industrial strategy earlier this month.

The firm allocated £80,000 for an Agras T50 drone, produced by the Chinese manufacturer DJI and specifically designed for agricultural use.

Applying potash or phosphates using a drone is “two to three times quicker than manual application,” notes Amery. This facilitates more precise application, thereby minimizing the quantity of fertilizer needed. The produce is packaged in a 25m bag of salad sold annually through the UK’s largest supermarket.

Despite ongoing discussions about the potential for machines to replace human labor in agriculture, Amelie believes that such investments elevate morale. “It’s about retaining staff by alleviating job hardships,” he states. “We offer higher wages. With increased salaries, retention rates improve.”

Though drones are already in use on farms in North and South America, their presence remains relatively novel in the UK. Currently, The Watercress Company’s drones await necessary permissions from the Civil Aviation Authority, the aviation regulatory body.

Amelie hopes that soon, hoppers will be fitted with the essential equipment to cover the growers’ 20 hectares across 12 farms in Hampshire and Dorset. Flight paths for each field can be pre-set, and 20-year-old George Matthews has been trained and licensed to operate the drone.

The Watercress Company continues to follow traditional growing methods that date back to the Victorian era. Although innovative, it remains focused on providing for those in urban areas, where watercress first gained popularity due to its nutritional value.

Currently, crops are cultivated in watercress beds fed by natural streams in use since the 1880s, while bespoke harvesters are deployed to cut the leaves between May and October.

Growers are also experimenting with multispectral cameras, which capture images across various wavelengths. These images generate a “heatmap” of the fields, which AI can analyze to identify crop issues.

The Watercress Company is driving the type of innovation that the National Farmers’ Union (NFU) aims to promote across more UK farms, striving for efficiency and sustainability.

Nevertheless, many farmers are feeling financial constraints, as the NFU observes that few possess the funds or confidence to invest in new, potentially untested technologies.

This progress is essential for enhancing productivity in agriculture, with the NFU warning that, without it, the UK risks lagging behind international competitors.

“We are eager to see future developments,” stated Tom Bradshaw, president of NFU. “Evidence from some European neighbors highlights that we’re behind in certain areas and less productive overall.”

Within the industrial strategy, Agri-Tech, alongside precision breeding, is designated a focus area in the growth sector plan, which the NFU believes will help make agriculture “more productive, sustainable, and resilient.”

The government has earmarked £200 million for its agricultural innovation program until 2030, with the Ministry of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) promising “targeted funding to foster agricultural innovation.”

“The push for innovation and growth in agri-tech is advantageous for the nation,” remarks Agriculture Minister Daniel Zechner. “Not only can we create jobs and enhance economic resilience, but we can also fortify food security and increase farmers’ and growers’ benefits through innovation.”

However, this announcement comes just days after the government cut the UK’s agricultural budget by £100 million annually. This reduction translates to a 2.7% decrease in DEFRA’s daily budget, a move that has been cautiously received by the NFU and agricultural organizations.

Back in Hampshire, the Watercress Company remains skeptical about benefiting from the funds allocated to its agricultural innovation program.

“Much of this funding is driven by high innovation levels but often fails to reach the farm gates or enhance production and productivity,” remarks Amery.

“It involves a significant investment in technology that hasn’t yet proven to yield results.”

To date, growers have been bearing nearly all costs associated with innovation. They successfully obtained £20,000 in funding from the government’s shared prosperity fund through local councils, which accounts for about a quarter of their drone investment.

Nonetheless, Amery noted that the business rarely accesses funding avenues like R&D tax credits, available only to companies subject to corporate tax. Partnerships like the Watercress Company and many other agricultural entities don’t pay corporate tax and thus aren’t eligible.

This challenge hasn’t deterred growers from pursuing the latest advancements to enhance their crops. “Innovation typically stems from a desire to tackle challenges,” states Amery. “We generally experience a major innovation every five to ten years. This one is transformative.”