A driving force for agricultural innovation has been rewarded with a prestigious industry honour in a ceremony at the House of Lords.
Dr Belinda Clarke has been awarded a Fellowship of the Royal Agricultural Societies (FRAgS), which recognises an "outstanding contribution by an individual to the understanding, efficiency and wellbeing of agriculture".
She is director of Agri-TechE, formerly Agri-Tech East, a membership organisation which brings together farmers, scientists, technologists and entrepreneurs.
The group will hold a series of events across East Anglia in November for its annual Agri-Tech Week, and Dr Clarke will also chair the Norfolk Farming Conference at the Norfolk Showground next month.
Candidates for the awards are commended by existing fellows and then invited to make a submission to a national panel.
Dr Clarke’s commendation for "facilitating links between farmers and the innovation ecosystem" was supported by the late Caroline Drummond, chief executive of LEAF (Linking Environment and Farming), and John Shropshire, executive chairman of Fenland salad and vegetable growers G's Group.
She said: "I feel very honoured to receive this award and thank John Shropshire and Caroline Drummond, who is sadly no longer with us, for their support and encouragement."
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