Establishing Defra’s evidence needs

Dr Steven HillChief Scientific Adviser’s Secretariat, Science Directorate

::Summary::

• Drivers for our evidence and innovation needs• Defra’s strategic priorities• Analysis of long term needs

• Approach to assessing evidence and innovation needs• Statements of Need• Sustainable Farming and Food Research Priorities Group• Strategic analysis

• Climate change and energy efficiency

• Sustainable consumption and production

• Natural resource protection

• Sustainable rural communities

• Sustainable food and farming including animal health and welfare

Sustainable Development

Emergency preparedness

Foundations – long-term assessment of needs

Key 10 year drivers

• Increasing range of needs, costs, collaboration opportunities

• Multi-disciplinary evidence needs to support policy

• Focus on innovation• Stakeholder and public engagement

Understanding the constraints

on E&I investment strategies

Evaluating where E&I makes the most impact

Prioritisation: Where will our resources add

the most value?

Developing Defra’s Evidence and Innovation Strategy

Identifying the E&I needs for

strategic outcomes

Still to do

Completed

Identifying Evidence and Innovation needs

• For each strategic outcome…• …top down approach

Statements of Need – the processStrategic Outcome Strategic Targets

Policy Outcomes Policy Targets/trends/drivers

Evidence & Innovation Needs E&I Needs Clusters

Prioritisation of Clusters Benefits/Value if Needs met

Identifying Evidence and Innovation needs

• For each strategic outcome…• …top down approach

• Special case: Sustainable Farming and Food Research Priorities Group

Research Priorities Group – Terms of Reference• To advise Defra on strategic priorities for publicly funded research in support

of sustainable farming and food industries in the UK, taking into account the strategic direction of UK and EU farming policy and EU research activity.

• To inform other farming and food research funders and the research community of these priorities.

• To identify means of improved co-ordination and integration of the funding and delivery of relevant publicly funded research addressing the identified strategic priorities.

• To publicise the strategic priorities identified and progress towards addressing them.

Research Priorities Group – process

• RPG: chaired by Professor Chris Pollock; members from farming and food industry and science base

• Six stakeholder workshops• Public consultation (BA Festival of Science)• Emerging technology subgroup

Research Priorities Group – first report

Source text for statements of need under the Sustainable Food and Farming strategic objective

Understanding the constraints

on E&I investment strategies

Evaluating where E&I makes the most impact

Prioritisation: Where will our resources add

the most value?

Developing Defra’s Evidence and Innovation Strategy

Identifying the E&I needs for

strategic outcomes

Still to do

Completed