Cyber Meets Agri-tech: Building Resilient Futures at Hartpury

Hartpury University and College and CyNam hosted an exciting and forward-thinking event, bringing together Gloucestershire-based students and industry professionals from Cyber Security and Agri-tech.

The day began with an opening address from Hartpury’s Principal, Claire Whitworth, highlighting the many interconnections between farming and digital technology. Students then heard from Chris Dunning-Walton in a keynote titled “Cyber Everywhere: The Hidden Power Protecting Our World”, explaining how cybersecurity underpins everything from global supply chains to the devices we use daily.

From there, the event moved into action. Cybersecurity students toured Hartpury’s Digital Innovation Farm, seeing first-hand how connected systems, from robotic milking machines to precision sensors, are revolutionising agriculture. Meanwhile, Agri-tech students took part in an interactive session led by Avon and Somerset Police, exploring the legal and practical realities of cybersecurity in farming.

A highlight of the day was the “Escape Room” challenge, where students worked alongside industry mentors to uncover vulnerabilities in modern farming equipment. This hands-on activity brought theory to life, demonstrating the importance of the protection of data in business continuity and food security, and how cyber threats can impact everything from crop yields to animal welfare.

At lunchtime, industry professionals joined students for a networking session to share insights, spark ideas, and encourage collaboration across sectors. This wasn’t just about learning; it was about building bridges between Gloucestershire’s thriving cyber cluster and its world-class Agri-tech community.

Yesterday’s event marked the first step in a bigger journey. Insights from the day will feed into a series of workshops planned for 2026, aimed at tackling real-world challenges and positioning Gloucestershire as a national leader in secure, digitally resilient agriculture.

“Events like this show future talent that cyber and agriculture aren’t separate worlds, they are deeply interconnected.” Hollie Wakefield, General Manager of CyNam

Invest in Gloucestershire is proud to support initiatives like this, ensuring our county’s businesses stay ahead of the fast-paced technology curve while empowering the next generation to help shape the future of Agri-tech and cyber innovation.

Stay tuned to see how Gloucestershire is shaping the future of farming, and making it more resilient, through the power of digital and cyber innovation.