Agri-Science on agenda at UK-Brazil trade talks

The UK agri-technology industry will be well represented at next week’s Government to Government talks in Brazil, thanks to a request from Vince Cable, Secretary of State for Business.

The International Agri-Technology Centre (IATC) and the Biosciences Knowledge Transfer Network (KTN), working with the British Embassy in Brazil, are arranging for leading agri-technology companies to accompany the visit by the Secretary of State, to Brazil for the 5th UK-Brazil Joint Economic Trade Committee (JETCO) meeting.

Paula Twinn, Manager at the IATC said, "Brazil is a priority market for IATC and the UK agri-technology sector, which embraces high-tech and high-innovation research and businesses working through the entire food and non-food supply chain. The JETCO agreement demonstrates the importance both governments are placing on developing trade between the countries."

"IATC are pleased to be working with the Biosciences KTN as well as the British Embassy on this project, in the current economic climate it is especially important for business support to be provided in a coordinated way to increase the value to companies."

The Biosciences KTN, supported by the Technology Strategy Board, aims to put companies and innovators in contact with the knowledge and funding they need to bring new products and processes to market.

Jayne Brookman, Biosciences Network Knowledge Transfer Manager comments, "The KTN has a long standing interest in Brazil as a leading international market for technologies across the bioscience sectors. This visit forms an important part of our strategy to deliver business from the links between the two countries particularly focussing on the SME sector and sources of venture capital, and has been made possible by International Fund support from the Technology Strategy Board".

A full programme of business meetings has been arranged for the UK delegation, including meeting representatives of the Brazilian Ministry of Science & Technology, and the National Economic and Social Development Bank, as well as the Mayor of Sao Paulo. Companies will also be participating in a seminar on the crucial role of venture capital in international markets, to be opened by Vince Cable, and a specialist workshop on building UK-Brazil partnerships towards increasing internationalisation of Brazilian companies.

The UK visit is part of a programme of activities developed between the IATC and the Embassy in Brazil, designed to facilitate business partnerships between the two countries in the agri-technology sector. Previous activities have established links between Embrapa, the Brazilian National Research Organisation, and a number of UK universities and research institutes to develop collaborative research programmes on a national scale benefiting both UK and Brazilian farmers.

Lord Mandelson publicly recognised the importance of IATC’s work with Brazil at the 4th UK-Brazil JETCO meeting which was held in London in September 2009.