Posted by dmt210
23 January 2025Pioneering research led by the University of Exeter, The UK Sustainable King Prawn Project, has been commended at a national conference addressing critical issues in food security.
The £2 million King Prawn Project, which is exploring the potential to create a new, sustainable and more environmentally-friendly king prawn farming sector using renewable energy technology, was being exhibited at the Transforming UK Food Systems annual meeting in York on 6-7th January 2025.
From left: Prof Rod Wilson, Dr Rajesh Manchi, Dr Diana Tingley and Dr Trystan Sanders.
As well as presenting directly to Daniel Zeichner MP, the Minister of State at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), and Professor Susan Jebb, Chair of the Food Standards Agency, the team were awarded a special commendation for the clarity of message about the project’s science, societal relevance, impact and technological innovation.
The project was represented by a University of Exeter team led by Professor Rod Wilson, Professor of Integrative Animal Physiology, Business Fellow and Project Manager Dr Diana Tingley and Postdoctoral Research Fellows Dr Trystan Sanders and Dr Rajesh Manchi.
Dr Tingley said the conference had provided an opportunity to highlight the innovative diversification opportunities for UK aquaculture and agriculture the project envisions.
She said: “This research and business impact project is helping to unlock the future potential to grow many kinds of seafood using new land-based technologies. The product will be healthy, nutritious, and probably the freshest and tastiest available in the UK, and give consumers access to seafood grown with a clear conscience. King prawns are potentially just the starting point.”
Professor Wilson, also commented: “In terms of seafood we normally import from tropical countries, our project is a potential game-changer. It demonstrates that UK consumers can have an option to access the best quality seafood ever, whilst also avoiding the negative environmental impacts that overseas production often suffers from.”
The conference was a platform for academics and policymakers to address critical issues in food security, health and environment.
Hosted by the University of York-based FixOurFood project, it looked at the implications and opportunities of the recently published UK Food Security Report and heard keynote speeches from voices from across the sector including Henry Dimbleby MBE who led The National Food Strategy, an independent review for Government.
The UK Sustainable King Prawn Project is funded by UK Research and Innovation as part of its Transforming UK Food Systems Strategic Priorities Fund. It is led by the University of Exeter but also has researchers based at Rothamsted Research and the University of Reading and strong links outside academia including 11 industry partnerships with organisations such as Rastech Ltd, other aquaculture producers, Ixora Energy, Cargill, Sainsbury’s and Lyons Seafoods.
Dr Diana Tingley discusses the project at the exhibition stand.
DEFRA Minister Daniel Zeichner MP presenting at the conference (Photo credit: Alex Holland)
Prof Rod Wilson discusses the project at the exhibition stand.