The first stages of CHAP’s Innovation Hub for Controlled Environment Agriculture have been successfully installed at the James Hutton Institute.
The Crop Health and Protection (CHAP) Agri-Tech Centre, funded by Innovate UK, acts as a nexus for world-class experts, leading scientists, farmers, advisors, innovators and businesses working together to understand industry priorities, develop innovative solutions and translate them into the field, to meet the challenges faced by UK and global agriculture.
CHAP works with a network of partners to translate and promote innovative solutions that will increase crop productivity for market adoption and improved crop productivity.
An example of this type of collaborative working was recently seen at the James Hutton Institute near Dundee as the CHAP and Liberty Produce team witnessed the installation of the containers that will be part of CHAP’s Innovation Hub for Controlled Environment Agriculture (IHCEA) which in turn will play an intrinsic role in Liberty Produce’s Future Farming Hub.
The team faced some key challenges along the way including ensuring all the equipment was braced for transportation and then upon arrival installed safely – made all the more hazardous by the presence of three nearby glasshouses and some 11,000v electricity cables! All in all, however, the chosen contractors performed admirably and all stakeholders involved worked together to ensure a successful installation. The Liberty Produce team will now carry out a wet-run and balancing of the system before starting the 12-week commissioning process.
CHAP’s membership scheme is available to all; from new start-ups to multinational organisations. They aim to bring people together to promote networking and idea-sharing, act as a catalyst for interaction and collaboration and initiate the development of project ideas. They will support members to find solutions to help their businesses grow.
For more information about CHAP, their membership, or Liberty Produce, click here.
Source: Innovate UK