Innovation, automation, and robotics the hot topics of West Sussex Growers’ Association conference in Tech Park
THE University of Chichester has welcomed more than 100 world-leading horticultural experts – for the first major international conference at its new Tech Park.
Members of the West Sussex Growers’ Association converged at the new £35million development, based in Bognor Regis, for their annual event which scrutinised the impact of innovation, automation, and robotics across the industry, as well as the possible impact of Brexit. The Association, which is a specialist branch of the National Farmers’ Union, incorporates leading horticultural businesses and individual experts involved in the land-based industry.
The event, hosted on Friday 26 October, was opened by Chichester MP Gillian Keegan who welcomed the delegates and said: “Conferences like these are really important to build relationships.” The conference was the first ever to be hosted in the University’s new Tech Park, which opened in October with support from the government’s Local Growth Fund, through the Coast to Capital Local Enterprise Partnership, to encourage economic growth across the region.
The Tech Park specialises in degree courses in engineering as well as creative and digital technologies to create a new area of academia focused on STEAM – Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics. It has received the backing from more than 40 industry organisations, including Rolls-Royce Motor Cars and Sony, as well as small and medium-sized enterprises which have declared a shortage of workers with STEM skills.
Among those speaking at the WSGA conference was chair Graham Bryant, Ali Capper from the National Farmers’ Union, David Thompson from Ricardo, Jon Swain from FEC, Martin Collison from Collison Associates, David Ball from Neame Lea, Neville Stein from Ovation Consulting, Dr Matthew Howard from Kings College London, and AHDB chair Peter Kendall, among others.
After thanking the delegates on arrival, University of Chichester Deputy Vice-Chancellor Professor Seamus Higson spoke about the institution’s growing involvement within the horticulture and food industries through the development of new technologies at the Tech Park – including improving photovoltaic cells and growing food in space.
He added: “This is the first conference in the Tech Park. Our new development combines state-of-the-art workshops, laboratories, and equipment with an innovative approach to learning which takes on board input from the commercial sector to develop graduates who meet current and future requirements of industry and beyond.”
To find out more about the West Sussex Growers’ Association visit www.wsga.co.uk or go to Hollyacre, Newlands Nursery, Pagham Road, Lagness, Chichester, West Sussex, PO20 1LL. Alternatively for more about the Tech Park at the University of Chichester go to steam.chi.ac.uk.
