Case study: Partnerships between G's Growers & Essex
Data-driven farming for lettuce production
Unpredictable weather patterns that affect crop growth result in surpluses or shortages, hitting profits and supermarket shelves. Through a Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP), one grower is pioneering data-driven adaptive farming to ensure retailers have the right number of lettuces just when they need them.
Combatting changing weather
G’s Growers is an independent vegetable farming cooperative producing 60% of the UK’s iceberg lettuces. With between 2.5 and 3 million lettuce heads to deliver to retailers every week, knowing when their crops will be ready is vital.
Despite their best efforts to schedule planting to ensure a consistent supply all season the company knew it needed better forecasting to maintain crop quality and maximise their potential. They knew data held the key.
Understanding plant growth
Steps had already been taken to improve methods by introducing remote sensing via drones and multispectral cameras, but G’s Growers wanted to take it further.
The company wanted to know what key factors, beyond heat and light, affect growth and quality, and harness that knowledge to develop a better growing model. Through the KTP, they aimed to create an intelligent simulator system that would apply new techniques in data science to the challenge of predicting and managing crop variance.
Combining data with life science
G’s Growers partnered with Dr Ana Matrán-Fernández and Dr Spyros Samothrakis from the Institute for Analytics and Data Science and Dr David Clark from the School of Life Sciences.
By combining data expertise with environmental and biological research, they developed a machine learning-driven simulator that models growing conditions and the impact of interventions, like the application of pesticides, irrigation or fertiliser.
Precision farming for the future
G’s Growers can now better understand which interventions produce the highest yield of uniform, saleable crops. Coupled with the ability to predict crop maturity, they can adapt the growing environment to speed up or slow down growth, preventing waste and shortages.
Data science is now embedded within the company and G’s Growers was the only supplier invited to present their advancements in forecasting at a recent Tesco Supplier Briefing.
By growing more lettuces using less resources, business continuity and growth has been boosted while supporting the UK’s environment and regenerative agriculture agendas. With the potential to expand into other crops, G’s Growers’ new precision farming model has the potential to reduce the UK’s carbon footprint and increase national food security.
Essex has secured more Innovate UK Knowledge Transfer Partnership funding than any other university in the UK. Through this programme, you could receive funding covering up to 67% of your project costs. We will guide you through the entire process, drawing on a sector-leading track record of success. Each project is commercially focused and powered by the university’s world-class research expertise.
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