The food and wine growing region of Sussex presents fertile ground for growers and education centres to adopt foundational technologies in the sustainable intensification of their products, helping to achieve food security, reduce carbon and use energy efficiently. Sussex Councils are actively working with Growers and Education stakeholders, conducting research, understanding sector ambitions and current connectivity constraints.
Total project funding amount: £4,514,675
Project date(s): -
Category: Government Funded
Location(s): West Sussex County Council - Sussex (East and West)
Status: Open
This project has been extended by 12 months and awarded £715,034 of additional funding.
The food and wine growing region of Sussex presents fertile ground for the use of digital technologies in increasing yield and quality, helping to achieve food security, reduce carbon and use energy efficiently.
Growing Sussex is an exciting project to co-develop and showcase use cases, using 5G, IoT and AI with telecoms and technology partners, education centres and commercial producers. The use cases will test how digital technology and applications using devices such as sensors, monitors, drones and cameras can develop future growing practices by applying data driven decision making.
We share a vision to:
- increase sustainable food and drink productivity;
- provide a qualified, digitally skilled workforce;
- develop sector-supporting products and services;
- promote innovation and data sharing at education centres with suppliers and adopters;
- create demand for scalable expansion of 5G/wireless infrastructure
- demonstrate the return on investment for local producers investing in digital connectivity.
Putting education at the centre of our approach will ensure the workforce is expectant of using technology in their workplace, generating a cyclical demand within the sector for investment. With complementary test and trial opportunities in ‘real world’ commercial growing sites, we will show telecoms suppliers the compelling need to provide replicable, affordable wireless connectivity.