Agri-Science is one of eight key areas earmarked for investment as part of a new government funding package.

The areas of technology set to receive grants include space and satellites, robotics, synthetic biology, regenerative medicine and energy storage. Agri-science will benefit to the tune of £70 million as part of the £186 million package announced by Science minister David Willetts Thursday. 

The grant aims to help bridge the 'valley of death' between the lab and the field or marketplace, and deploy new technological fixes to the problems of climate change, energy storage, food production and population growth.

As part of the catalyst, Mr Willetts said the funding is open for bids from those at all stages of the agri-food chain. Agri-food is one of, if not the, most significant manufacturing sector in the UK, contributing an estimated £96 billion to the UK economy each year and supporting more than 450,000 jobs.

SMEs and academics can apply to receive funding to develop solutions to agri-tech challenges, such as adapting agricultural practices to cope with climate change, as part of the agri-tech 'catalyst'. More information on funding is available from the Technology Strategy Board.

£10 million of the £70 million package is from the Department for International Development, which will support the transfer of technology and new products to developing countries. Funding in other areas includes £44 million for two projects to monitor crucial ocean currents in the North Atlantic and improve weather predictions.

The Science Minister said on Thursday, "The British scientific and technological revolution is something to be proud of. By investing in these eight great technologies I firmly believe that the UK will continue to be at the forefront of the global technology race. We are investing to help translate our excellent science into commercially successful technologies which in turn boosts our businesses, creates jobs and drives economic growth."

Investment in agri-tech will support the government's agri-tech strategy, released in July. On Thursday, Defra highlighted UK-driven technological advances including sought-after genetics that have led to 80 percent of the world's breeding chickens coming from UK-developed stock and advances to cut the water and energy footprint of horticultural produce, increasing efficiency and reducing the crops' environmental impact.

Environment Minister Lord de Mauley also commented, "This investment presents an exciting new opportunity to accelerate the development of the UK Agri-Tech sector. It will help industry and research organisations to work much more closely together, transferring innovation from the laboratory to the farm to help us meet the challenge of increasing food production and reducing our impact on the natural environment."