ADOPT Fund - Defra's Farming Innovation Programme

We’re pleased to share that our CEO, Tim Isaac, is a Project Facilitator for the new Accelerating Development of Practices and Technologies Fund (ADOPT). This is part of Defra’s Farming Innovation Programme, with the aim to fund on-farm trial and demonstration projects to improve adoption of new ideas or solutions in the agricultural sector.

ADOPT sets out to invest up to £20.6 million over the next 2 years to empower practical farming solutions. The full ADOPT grant is for project costs between £50,000 and £100,000. There is also a Facilitator Support Grant of £2,500 for a farmer or grower to engage with an external project facilitator.

As a project facilitator, Tim will be able to provide support to your project through:

• Providing expertise to ensure a successful project
• Project management
• Preparing administrative documents, such as reporting
• Ensuring the project remains on track and is well communicated

From the 28th April 2025, you can apply for funding. Your project must:

• Have total costs between £50,000 and £100,000
• Last between 6 and 24 months
• Start by 1 November 2025
• End by 31 October 2027
• Intend to exploit the results from or in England
• Carry out all of its project work in the UK
• Embrace open innovation principles and be willing to share results with other farmers, growers or foresters
• Have a Project Facilitator as part of the project team who is listed in the ADOPT Innovate UK Business Connect database

Ceres Research are very happy to have an initial discussion with you about a project idea and how we might be able to help.

For further information on the ADOPT programme, please see here: ADOPT Fund: guidance now available for innovation funding – Farming