Agriculture sits at the centre of major climate and economic pressures. Farmers are being asked to produce more with fewer emissions, while innovators race to develop technologies that can unlock a more resilient, productive and climate-positive future. The challenge is not a lack of ideas, but how to scale the right ones in real farm systems, supply chains and regulatory environments.
The Food and Agriculture Systems Technology Accelerator (FASTA) exists to help close that gap. Delivered by the Carbon Trust in partnership with UK Agri-Tech Centre, FASTA supports agri-tech solutions that enable Net Zero agriculture. Its first focus is Measurement, Reporting and Verification (MRV), the insight needed to reward improvement, to direct investment and to give the sector confidence in its climate progress.
The recent FASTA launch event brought together the first cohort of MRV innovators with industry partners, retailers, banks, insurers and producers. The centrepiece of the event was a panel discussion featuring Joseph McDonnell from the Institute of Grocery Distribution (IGD), Megan Powell from ASDA and Carolien Samson from Oxbury Bank, chaired by Paddy Tarbuck from the UK AgriTech Centre.