Funding R&D and KT activity will only be effective to UK growers if:
- The right projects are developed
- They are systematically monitored
- The results are communicated effectively to enable their implementation.
To qualify for AHDB Horticulture funding, projects must have:
- Clearly stated objectives
- Measurable milestones to enable the progress of the project to be assessed, and
- Indicate how the results will be exploited by the industry after completion of the project.
There are several routes to receiving funding from AHDB Horticulture, and these are briefly described below:
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Commissioning via the panels
The individual crop sector panels each regularly review and produce a list of priority targets and research areas of importance to the industry.
Prospective applicants should review these priorities along with AHDB Horticulture's over-arching strategy in order to develop proposals which best address these objectives.
Concepts and proposals can then be submitted for consideration via the most appropriate sector panel via the Panel Funding menu on the left.
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Specific calls to tender
With reference to our over-arching strategy, AHDB Horticulture will contract all its work on strategic themes by competitive tendering.
From time to time the individual sector panels may also develop forward-looking, larger projects for which they desire a specific response, and these will also be commissioned by the competitive tendering approach.
Applicants can read more under the Tenders menu on the left and from there may wish to register for alerts when new specific calls are launched.
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Studentships, Fellowships and Bursaries
AHDB Horticulture also funds projects that combine novel research addressing industry priorities with initiatives to help develop the next generation of technical experts for the agriculture and horticulture industries.
These may take the form of post-graduate studentship funding, fellowship style projects to address a particular skills gap or bursaries for undergraduate students to fund a practical and hands-on year embedded in the horticultural industry.
More information about each of these schemes including how and when to apply are available on the left-hand menu under the relevant headings:
- Studentship Scheme
- Horticultural Fellowship Awards
- Undergraduate Bursary Scheme (currently unavailable)
Project management, review and reporting
Projects funded by AHDB Horticulture are all monitored regularly and reviewed by Staff, Industry Representatives, and other advisors (e.g. growers and scientists) to check progress against the project's objectives and milestones.
With respect to research reports, Annual and Final Reports are published by AHDB Horticulture and reports have the results interpreted for practical use by growers, in a Grower Summary.
Guidance and instructions for reporting on projects funded by AHDB Horticulture are available here.