Defra group research and innovation interests 2021 · first published 22 June 2021
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has set out the high-level research and innovation questions it needs answered to develop evidence-based policy. This document covers five outcome areas: natural environment and rural; floods and water; food, farming and biosecurity; marine and fisheries; and environmental quality. It also flags cross-cutting themes such as climate change, net zero, land use, One Health (the link between human, animal, and environmental health), and data science including artificial intelligence (AI). The document is a statement of intent and interest — not a tender or contract notice — but it tells small research, consultancy, agritech, environmental monitoring, and innovation businesses exactly which topics Defra is likely to commission and fund now and over the coming years. Funding flows through Defra direct commissions and through UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), including the Strategic Priorities Fund.
WHO THIS APPLIES TO
THE ENKII VIEW
For small specialist firms — environmental consultancies, agritech startups, data science companies, biosecurity specialists, and social-science research outfits — this document is effectively a forward pipeline of demand. Defra explicitly states it works with "universities, research institutes, industries and industry bodies, charities and volunteer organisations," meaning SMEs are in scope as delivery partners. The breadth of themes (AI and blockchain for monitoring, robotics in farming, small-medium enterprise benefits from marine plastics alternatives, community engagement, behavioural science) means niche SMEs across many sectors have a plausible entry point — the key task is mapping their capability to one or more named research questions and getting in front of Defra commissioners before procurements are designed.
1. Map your product or service to one or more named Defra research questions in this document and use that language in your capability statements, framework applications, and UKRI funding bids.
SMEs in agritech, robotics, environmental monitoring, data science, or biotech — Defra has published specific questions it needs answered; commissioners and UKRI assessors will recognise suppliers who speak directly to these stated priorities.
2. Monitor Defra and UKRI (including the Strategic Priorities Fund) procurement and grant portals for calls that correspond to the five outcome systems and cross-cutting themes listed in this document.
SMEs seeking Defra research contracts — The document confirms research is funded through both direct Defra commissions and UKRI programmes — tracking both channels maximises your chance of spotting relevant opportunities early.
3. Apply to become a member of, or submit evidence to, one of Defra's 20+ specialist advisory bodies to get visibility with commissioners before procurements are designed.
All SMEs with relevant environmental, food, farming, or marine expertise — Defra explicitly states it 'runs more than 20 specialist advisory bodies to consult leading external experts' — early engagement shapes future commission briefs.
4. Build a business case around the socio-economic benefits of alternative materials to marine plastics — Defra has explicitly named SMEs as intended beneficiaries of new industries in this space.
Marine plastics, materials innovation, and circular-economy SMEs — The document specifically calls out 'the potential benefits to be made from new industries including small medium-size enterprise' when researching the costs of shifting away from marine plastic litter.
5. Position your solution around disease early-warning and digital health monitoring for livestock — highlight measurable welfare and biosecurity outcomes in any bid or grant application to Defra or APHA.
Agritech, precision-farming, and animal-health technology SMEs — Defra has named digital innovation and precision farming for livestock health monitoring as an explicit research priority, and bovine TB detection is called out as a continuing priority.
6. Develop and demonstrate spatially explicit land-use modelling tools and make sure your commercial offer addresses net-zero and biodiversity trade-offs at landscape scale — these are named Defra priorities.
Geospatial, modelling, and land-use analytics SMEs — Defra calls for 'spatially explicit models and tools to inform decisions at the landscape level, including prioritisation of conflicting land use demands' as part of its net-zero pathway research.
7. Package your offer around behaviour change for environmental outcomes — reference Defra's stated interest in models of societal change and participatory/co-design approaches when pitching or applying for contracts.
Social-science, behavioural-science, and community-engagement consultancies — Behavioural and social science is listed as a dedicated cross-cutting tools section, with multiple specific questions about incentivising businesses, communities, and individuals.
8. Promote your eDNA or molecular monitoring capability as a complement to traditional biodiversity monitoring — explicitly link cost, speed, and scalability in your marketing and bid responses.
Environmental DNA, molecular biology, and biodiversity monitoring firms — Defra identifies molecular biology and environmental DNA as an evolving priority tool for ecosystem, biodiversity, and disease monitoring.
9. Explore Defra's intern, studentship, and secondment programmes as a low-cost route to build relationships and insider understanding of upcoming commission priorities.
SMEs interested in Defra engagement beyond formal contracts — Defra lists these programmes alongside advisory bodies as explicit routes for external engagement with the department.
Every rule below quotes the official document verbatim.
Defra funds research both by direct commission for short-term evidence needs and through UKRI including the Strategic Priorities Fund for longer-term strategic interests. (All external organisations seeking to deliver Defra-relevant research.)
“Some is funded and commissioned by Defra directly and targets specific short-term evidence needs in the department. Some is more extensive research funding by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). This includes novel and innovative research to inform Defra's strategic research interests. Relevant UKRI research is delivered in a variety of programmes, including those in the Strategic Priorities Fund.”
Defra works with a broad range of external organisations including universities, research institutes, industries, industry bodies, charities, and volunteer organisations — not only its own PSREs. (All potential external research and innovation suppliers to Defra.)
“Defra also works with a broad range of universities, research institutes, industries and industry bodies, charities and volunteer organisations, and with other government departments.”
The eight PSREs in the Defra Group are: Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), Centre of Environment Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas), Environment Agency (EA), Fera Science Limited (Fera), Forest Research (FR), Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC), Natural England (NE), and Royal Botanical Gardens Kew (RBG Kew). (Organisations seeking to understand which Defra bodies commission and deliver research.)
“The eight Public Sector Research Establishments in the Defra Group. Seven of these are Defra arm's length bodies. Fera is a Joint Venture between Defra and Capita PLC.”
Research interests are structured around five outcome systems: natural environment and rural; floods and water; food farming and biosecurity; marine and fisheries; and environmental quality. (All potential Defra research suppliers.)
“Defra Group System is structured around five outcome systems listed below: natural environment and rural, floods and water, food farming and biosecurity, marine and fisheries, environmental quality”
Defra has identified data science — including AI and blockchain — as a priority tool for environmental monitoring, regulatory compliance, and land management. (Data science and technology firms with environmental or agri-food applications.)
“data science: Application of techniques, including AI and block chain, to unlock opportunities for improved and more efficient environmental monitoring, regulatory compliance, and land management”
Defra wants research into how sensors, omics, geographic information systems, and the internet of things can support regulation and enforcement across agri-environmental and food sectors. (Technology and electronics SMEs with environmental or agri-food applications.)
“advanced electronics: How will sensors, omics, geographical information systems, internet of things, be used to support regulation and enforcement needs across the agri-envrionmental and food sectors?”
Defra explicitly identifies Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) as potential beneficiaries of new industries arising from the shift away from marine plastics. (SMEs in marine, materials, or circular-economy sectors.)
“determine the socio-economic costs of plastic litter on marine wildlife, ecosystems, and maritime industries. The costs incurred from changing to other materials, including the potential benefits to be made from new industries including small medium-size enterprise.”
Defra is interested in how innovation — including agritech, robotics, and automation — can boost productivity to future-proof the food and farming system. (Agritech, robotics, and automation SMEs.)
“how can innovation boost productivity to transform and future proof the food and farming system in ways that are sustainable and resilient; including the use of agritech, robotics, and automation to drive change and enable food and farming sectors to compete globally?”
Defra wants research into how digital innovation and precision farming techniques can measure animal health and welfare and provide early warning of livestock disease. (Digital health-monitoring and precision-farming technology suppliers.)
“how can we use digital innovation and precision farming techniques to measure animal health and welfare outcomes for livestock, and to provide early warning of livestock disease and health threats?”
Defra seeks research into how molecular biology and environmental DNA can complement traditional biodiversity monitoring. (Biotechnology, environmental DNA, and biodiversity monitoring firms.)
“molecular biology: The ongoing evolution in the costs, speed, and ease of DNA measurements will allow entirely new approaches to complement traditional biodiversity monitoring and increase understanding of ecosystems, biodiversity, diseases, and other aspects of the environment”
Defra has a research interest in behavioural and social science, including how to incentivise businesses, communities, and individuals to achieve positive environmental outcomes. (Behavioural science, social research, and community engagement consultancies.)
“how can we encourage or incentivise behavioural change among businesses, communities, and individuals to achieve positive outcomes for the environment? What models of societal change might be used to underpin these behaviour change initiatives?”
Defra is interested in developing spatially explicit models and tools to inform landscape-level decisions including prioritisation of conflicting land-use demands on the path to net zero. (Geospatial, modelling, and land-use analytics firms.)
“This includes developing spatially explicit models and tools to inform decisions at the landscape level, including prioritisation of conflicting land use demands”
Defra has a specific research priority on antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in the environment and food systems and its transmission between animals and humans. (Life-science, veterinary-science, and environmental-health research organisations.)
“what is the burden of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in the environment and within food systems, and to what extent is this facilitating the development and transmission of AMR between animal and human populations?”
Defra is interested in research on extended producer responsibility schemes that could yield significant recycling and resource-efficiency benefits. (Circular economy, waste, and resource-efficiency consultancies and researchers.)
“improving the use and design of extended producer responsibility schemes in the UK that could yield significant benefits”
Research interests described in this document are expected to remain relevant for at least several years. (All potential Defra research and innovation suppliers.)
“These research and innovation interests are presented in this document at a high-level, giving an overview of the breadth of Defra's enquiry. They are expected to be areas of interest for at least some years.”
Defra runs more than 20 specialist advisory bodies and a number of intern, studentship, and secondment programmes as additional routes to engage with external researchers. (SMEs and researchers seeking non-contract routes to engage with Defra.)
“Defra runs more than 20 specialist advisory bodies to consult leading external experts; Defra runs a number of intern, studentship and secondment programmes; and Defra commissions research teams to address particular problems.”
Defra is the lead government department for climate adaptation and is responsible for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from agriculture, waste and wastewater, land-use, and fluorinated gases — together about 15% of total UK GHG emissions. (Suppliers in agriculture, waste, land management, and environmental sectors.)
“Defra is responsible for efforts to reduce GHG emissions from four sectors: agriculture, waste and wastewater, land-use, and fluorinated gases (F-gases)... Together, the four Defra sectors represent 15% of the total net UK GHGs, with agriculture being the biggest contributor (about 10% of UK emissions).”
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