The development of products such as methane reducing animal feeds and high protein crops have received a boost today (Monday 25 July) with Defra opening a £12.5m competition to support research and innovation.

Farmers, growers, foresters, businesses and researchers are invited to apply with projects to help increase domestic production of healthy and sustainable protein. The competition is part of the Government’s £270 million Farming Innovation Programme being run in partnership with UK Research and Innovation’s Transforming Food Production Challenge to help spark new ideas and collaboration across the sector.

The aim is to accelerate the development of novel and disruptive technologies to create new sources of resource efficient, low-emission proteins, leading to a more sustainable farming model for the future. This will help improve farming productivity, resilience in the sector and move existing agricultural sectors towards net zero.

Defra Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Steve Double, said:

Our farmers and food producers are the best in the world, and we want to encourage collaboration across the sector to help improve productivity and sustainability.

Food production and environmental protection are two sides of the same coin, it’s why we are spending £270m to support farmers to innovate for the future through the Farming Innovation Programme.

Whether it’s a game-changing animal feed that helps animals produce less methane or new high-protein crop, this  competition is now open to support its development.

Katrina Hayter, Challenge Director for UKRI’s Transforming Food Production Challenge, said:

When it comes to addressing the key issues of productivity and sustainability in the UK food sector, we’re looking for applicants who are truly able to demonstrate and deliver – and on-farm protein production is no different. It’s vital that new technologies disrupt the status quo, bringing with them measurable improvements to the environmental impact of food production and more sustainable models for the future. We’re looking forward to working with applicants and supporting those who can truly move the needle forwards with new farm-based protein solutions.

This competition is split into ‘Feasibility’ projects (up to 2 years), and ‘Industrial Research’ (up to 5 years for breeding projects). Projects must have a value of £200k-£500k and £500k-£1m respectively.

Altogether, Defra expects to spend around £600 million on grants and other support for farmers to invest in productivity, animal health and welfare, innovation, research and development over the next 3 years.

Guidance on how to apply is available at the following links:

Seddon Construction Ltd has been appointed to deliver the building fit-out requirement, through a fourth framework agreement worth £175 million over the next 17 years, until March 2039.

The building fit-out package is the fourth key delivery partner supplier framework to be awarded by the Programme and Project Partners, as part of a major programme of procurements to support the long-term delivery of major decommissioning infrastructure on the Sellafield site.

The framework includes general construction activities such as: internal walls, ceilings, screeding, flooring, painting and joinery.

John Shannon, divisional director of Seddon Construction Ltd, said:

This an excellent appointment for us as a key delivery partner for the Programme and Project Partners.

This opportunity will ensure that we can develop long term and effective relationships with other stakeholders, delivering effective outcomes on the Sellafield site, whilst contributing to both the community and regional economy positively.

Head of supply chain, Project and Programme Partners, Peter Hogg added:

We’re very pleased to announce our fourth long-term work partnership. This company has never worked ‘inside the fence’ at Sellafield before and that’s why the Project and Programme Partners model is different.

It’s providing opportunities to organisations that we have not worked with before, which can provide innovative solutions to meet our long-term needs.

This collaboration, together with Seddon’s supply chain will ensure enhanced project delivery and increased social impact and economic benefits for our communities.

The framework has been procured under the partners multi project procurement (MPP) model which encourages long-term collaboration throughout the supply chain, enhanced project delivery, and paves the way for greater social and economic impact in the West Cumbria region, with Seddon planning to open an office in West Cumbria.

The MPP model is seeing the appointment of key delivery partners to deliver work packages covering everything from groundworks and general civils to steelwork and cladding.

The partners will work closely with all key delivery partners to deliver Sellafield Ltd’s purpose to create a clean and safe environment for future generations, improve sustainability and ensure better outcomes for the local economy and communities.

The British High Commissioner, Jane Marriott, and Cabinet Secretary for the Ministry of Interior and Coordination of National Government, Dr Fred Matiang’i opened the first Anti-Terrorism Police Unit (ATPU) Coast Regional Headquarters and Mombasa Police Station, worth KES81 million.

The police station will provide a dedicated space for the ATPU to work on terrorism cases. It will also allow direct access to the ATPU for the public, creating more awareness about the ATPU’s work and strengthening their relationship with the local community.

Human rights compliance and international standards such as the Mandela Rules have been at the heart of the building’s design. The station includes a secure detention facility with separate cells and private ablution amenities for men, women and children. It is a testament to the UK and Kenya’s shared commitment to the rule of law and international human rights.

The British High Commissioner to Kenya, Jane Marriott, said:

Kenya is the UK’s premier security partner in East Africa. A primary focus of this partnership is to strengthen counter-terrorist capacity within the criminal justice system, in line with international human rights standards. The UK works with stakeholders across the criminal justice pathway, including investigators, detention supervisors, prosecutors and judiciary, all of whom are key to preventing and disrupting terrorist activity.

Terrorism is one of the biggest threats facing our countries. To counter this threat, I am delighted to support Kenya with approximately KES 1bn [£7m] a year.

Cabinet Secretary for the Ministry of Interior Dr Fred Matiang’i said:

As a Government, we applaud the UK-Kenya Security Compact agreed in 2018 and the incorporation of the UK Kenya Strategic Partnership 2020 – 2025, through which the British High Commission has worked with the Government of Kenya to establish this modern, purpose-built police station with detention facilities for ATPU Coast in Mombasa.

With the assistance of our partners, we have steadily grown our capabilities to confront terrorism and other transnational crimes. We are immensely grateful to the people of the United Kingdom, through the British High Commission (Nairobi), for our continued warm and cordial working relationship and particularly on Counter Terrorism.

The building has state of the art rooms including, storage areas, conference room, IT room, server area, armoury, CCTV room, 9 holding cells for male, female, and juvenile all fitted with fixed beds, modern toilet and adequate ventilation.

Over the last year, the UK has supported the ATPU with various activities including trainings on terrorist financing, witness interviews, IEDs, gender sensitivity as well as the delivery of an internationally accredited Training of Trainers programme. Going forward, we are pleased to continue specialist skills training support in this building.

The building has dedicated spaces for different ATPU teams – investigations, evidence analysis and forensics – enabling them to work together under one roof. It also has a multi-agency room for the ATPU to invite in and to work closely with other national security bodies and international partners in a secure environment. A training room is also available to facilitate the ATPU to embed key skills across their personnel.

Further information

• As our closest partner on counter terrorism in East Africa, the UK stands with Kenya in our joint fight against terrorism. The UK invests approximately KES1.1 billion (£7 million) a year to support Kenya’s Counterterrorism (CT) efforts
• The UK’s CT support to Kenya is wide-ranging.
  • We work closely with the Ministry of Interior to build the capacity of criminal justice institutions through training and mentoring, and by reinforcing Kenya’s CT infrastructure – such as through the establishment of Kahawa Law Court, Kenya’s first court dedicated to addressing terrorism offences
  • In February 2022, the British High Commissioner handed over critical forensic medical equipment to the Chief Administration Secretary, in the Ministry of Health, Dr Rashid Aman to improve disaster response and support forensic investigations
  • Counter terrorism requires not only a strong security response, but also a holistic preventative effort that incorporates political, diplomatic and development approaches. Recently, we have worked to reduce the vulnerability to radicalisation of 800 at-risk Kenyans through engagement with communities and civil society organisations
  • The UK also supports improvements in aviation and maritime security standards through technical assistance to the Ministry of Transport and Port Authorities