SFN Funded Proof of Concept Projects
2022 Funded Projects
We were delighted to award three Proof-of-Concept projects via the SFN Sandpit 2022. We plan to fund up to 8 further Proof of Concept projects in 2022!
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Building a Food Waste Tracker for Responsible Consumption and Sustainability Enhancement
PI - Dr Shuyang Li (University of Sheffield) Details to follow Developing a new testing methodology for honey authentication
PI - Dr Maria Anastasiadi (Cranfield University) Details to follow Future Farms: redesigning crop landscapes
PI - Dr Jorg Kaduk (University of Leicester) Details to follow Exploring the feasibility of Geographic Indication marketing to improve pastoral livestock marketing in Kenya
PI - Dr Aditya Parmar (NRI University of Greenwich) Details to follow Corn Yield prediction via integration of remote sensing, machine learning and crop modelling
PI - Vivatvong Vichat-Vadakan (SkyVIV) Details to follow |
AI-AMMS: AI coupled with Aerial iMaging and Mobile Sensing
PI - Dr Po Yang (University of Sheffield) Details to follow... Evaluating influence of moisture in controlling release of nutrients in novel green fertiliser using neutron imaging and muonic x-rays
PI - Dr Ruben Sakrabani (Cranfield University) Details to follow... Blockchain enabled Cloud Computing based integrated Carbon Calculator (Be4C)
PI - Dr Sushma Kumari (University of Hull) Details to follow... Spotting the Rust - Tracking disease progression by static and aerial imagery
PI - Dr Melina Zempila (STFC RAL Space) Details to follow... AIK Platform - Preservation and visualisation of African Indigenous Knowledge for Resilient Food Systems 2.0
PI - Dr Steven Sam (Brunel University, London) Details to follow... |
2021 Funded Projects
The inaugural SFN Call for Proof of Concept projects was held in late 2021 and we were delighted to fund the four projects below (click on the + to learn more about each project).
We plan to fund up to 12 Proof of Concept projects in 2022 so keep an eye our for the call!
We plan to fund up to 12 Proof of Concept projects in 2022 so keep an eye our for the call!
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Integrating environmental, spatial, and social data to assign food supply chain functions across urban space
PI - Daniel Evans (Cranfield University) Currently, urban food growing takes place in disconnected spaces, and many essential parts of the food supply chain (e.g., collecting waste for composting, forming soil) are displaced to locations beyond the city. There is an increasing demand to grow nutritious food using sustainable and resilient land-use practices which enhance agricultural productivity, support secure and equal access to land, improve land and soil quality, safeguard natural resources, reduce food losses along the supply chain, and decrease waste generation. This requires a new urban food growing system: one which can identify and connect under-utilized urban spaces into a cluster, with each space within the cluster optimized to carry out a specific role in the food supply chain. This project aims to develop a new decision-making dashboard for urban food growers and land-use planners. The dashboard will be used to identify suitable under-utilized spaces in a city, assess these spaces with respect to environmental, spatial, and social data, and suggest which spaces would be best for specific food supply chain functions. To prove this concept, we will collect environmental, spatial, and social data from a cluster of spaces within the London Borough of Islington. STFC-based data science capabilities (and 2x DISCUS PhD students) will then integrate these data into a model to produce optimized suggestions of how each space could be used within the cluster. STFC will also lead the production of the prototype dashboard, which will be user-tested by our large, diverse, non-academic team including local food growers/vendors in the Borough (Octopus Communities) as well as policymakers on Islington’s Borough Council. This proof-of-concept project is the first part of a five-phase programme, with future phases including design and construction of the world’s first urban agriculture cluster in London, commercializing the dashboard, and upscaling across Porto, Portugal. STFC Side Co-I: Pete Hurley (University of Sussex) From nutrition to flavour: novel food and food ingredients from microalgae
PI - Yixing Sui (University of Greenwich) F |
The potential of brown rice for improving health: Investigating the bioaccessibility of its key constituents, and barriers and drivers to consumption
PI - Dr Manoj Menon (University of Sheffield) Rice is the staple for more than half of the world’s population, providing up to 70% of the energy requirements of many. Over 85% of consumed rice is white rice, nutritionally inferior to brown rice (whole grain or unpolished). Despite the potential of brown rice for improving micronutrient status and blood sugar control, its uptake is generally low. Some brown rice types may also contain inorganic arsenic (iAs), a group 1 carcinogen. To confirm these benefits and risks, we need to evaluate the bioaccessibility (the amount available for assimilation) of micronutrients and iAs from brown rice types as there have been no previous studies. Concurrently, identifying barriers and drivers to brown rice consumption is essential for informing public health strategies. The objectives of this project are the following: Measure bioaccessibility of micronutrients and iAs and the impact of phytic acid on nutrient bioaccessibility in brown rice using an in vitro simulated human digestion model. Determine rice type preferences, perceptions, barriers and drivers to consumption amongst adult type 2 diabetes patients living in Chennai, India Quantify the risks and benefits of consuming brown rice using the data obtained from the above two objectives. Co-create new research proposals, publications and disseminate findings to patients, the public and academia. The project team involves academics from the UK (University of Sheffield, Diamond Light Source) and two non-academic partners from India (SAMARTH-NGO and MDRF-Madras Diabetic Research Foundation). STFC Side Co-Is: Dr Tina Geraki (STFC Diamond Light Source) Food Side Co-Is: Dr Viren Ranawana (University of Sheffield) Monitoring tropical pollinators in conventional and organic fruit orchards year-round in central Thailand
PI - Dr Alyssa Stewart (Mahidol University Thailand) Most plants depend on animals to pollinate their flowers, including many agricultural crops. The most well-known pollinators are honey bees, but many other insects pollinate flowers as well, including carpenter bees, sweat bees, stingless bees, wasps, butterflies, and flower flies. However, insect pollinators are currently experiencing many threats, including the widespread use of chemical pesticides. Our research aims to compare pollinator communities in conventional and organic fruit orchards in central Thailand. Moreover, data will be collected across different seasons (rainy and dry), as both pollinator composition and the impact of pesticides on pollinators may vary seasonally. To do so, we will use time-lapse photography and computer vision to automatically detect and identify native pollinators in conventional and organic guava farms. These data will enable us to quickly and efficiently assess how orchard management impacts pollinator diversity and abundance. Moreover, the results of this project will be valuable at multiple scales, from demonstrating the benefits of organic farming practices to local farmers, to providing data that can guide nation-wide and international policy and conservation efforts. STFC Side Co-Is: Dr Jens Jensen (STFC) Food Side Co-Is: Dr. Maria Anastasiadi (Cranfield University) |
