The report draws on 20 years of patent filing data in the vast agrifood sector, which includes two domains: agritech and foodtech.

• Agritech involves the use of technology, for example, to improve crop yields, optimise water usage, manage livestock, and improve soil health.
• Foodtech involves the use of technology, for example, to develop new and innovate solutions for food production, processing, and delivery.

Between 2004-2024, over 3.5 million agrifood-related inventions were identified. Notably, only around 12% of these (approximately 450,000) were filed internationally, that is, outside the country of first filing. A large proportion of the non-international filings originate from Asia. These findings demonstrate that many patent applicants are more likely to seek protection locally within their home countries, suggesting that many inventions are market specific. Of the 450,000 international patent families, agritech accounts for 66% of inventions and foodtech makes up the remaining 34% of inventions.

International agritech patent filings have grown steadily, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.9% between 2017-2021. while pest/disease management and crop adaptation and genetics lead agritech research, the growing interest in agricultural automation and internet of things (IoT) technologies is driving innovation in areas such as robotics and drones, mapping/imagery, automation and precision agriculture technologies.

International foodtech patent filings have shown slower growth, with a CAGR of 3.3% between 2017-2021. While supply chain leads foodtech research, there has been strong recent growth in the areas of food chemistry and food services. This trend appears to align with the recent surge in innovation in the area of alternative nutrient source for human food.

The report also highlights plant variety protection (PVP), which provides rights to breeders of new, distinct, uniform and stable plant varieties, as another indicator of agricultural innovation. Between 2004-2022, the number of PVP applications and granted titles have more than doubled.

Five innovation hotspots to watch

The report presents in-depth analysis on five highly regarded technology areas shaping the future of food and farming:

1. Soil and fertiliser management

This technology area, which includes solutions aimed at improving soil health and fertility, has seen a moderate CAGR of +5.6% between 2017-2021, indicating a growing interest. North America is a global leader in innovation in this area, followed by Europe. There is growing interest in the areas of autonomous guidance of agricultural machines and Fertiliser formulations.

2. Non-pesticide pest and disease management

Non-pesticide pest and disease management (which include the use of living organisms, compositions that act as repellents, devices (such as traps, sprayers and dispensers) and genetic modifications) has shown consistently strong activity over the last ten years. Formulation technologies dominate the patents in this field, but the use of microorganisms as an alternative to conventional pesticides is growing.

However, this field appears to be mature, with very little growth or emergence of disruptive technology. The absence of disruptive technology is attributed to the high specificity of biocontrol agents against pests or diseases. Interestingly, Asia is emerging as a key player in this field as activity in the USA and Europe plateaus.

3. Alternative nutrient sources for human food

Driven by growing demand for sustainable and ethical protein sources, this area has seen a rapid rise in innovation between 2019-2021. Key technologies include plant-based alternatives, insect proteins, precision and biomass fermentation, cell-based meat, and molecular farming. Cell-based meat (also known as cultured meat or clean meat) is an area of intense activity, which recorded a remarkable CAGR of +97% from 2017-2021.

4. Predictive models in precision agriculture

Predictive models in precision agriculture (which includes the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and software development) have shown exceptional recent growth, with a CAGR of +27.1% between 2017-2021. There has been growing use of predictive models to improve soil management, plant culture and animal husbandry.

5. Autonomous devices in precision agriculture

The use of autonomous machinery and robotics in precision agriculture is showing growing interest as it leads to increased efficiency of crop planting, management, irrigation, harvesting and yield and a reduction in manual labour.

Final thoughts

WIPO’s report shines a light on emerging technology trends in the agrifood sector. Population growth, climate change and dietary shifts are putting increasing pressure on global food security, and this is driving innovation in this sector. The report also highlights that fifteen of the seventeen UN sustainable development goals (including improved standards of living, equality and good health) may be improved by growth in this sector. Ongoing investment, international collaboration, supportive patent systems and effective regional and international policies are essential in achieving these goals and supporting a more sustainable future.

Useful links

• WIPO agrifood patent landscape report: dycip.com/wipo-agritech-report
• Agritech innovation: how IP is cultivating the farms of the future: dycip.com/agritech-ip-future
• The engine of precision farming - AI and agritech at the EPO: dycip.com/agritech-ip-ai-epo
• Agritech: farm use exemptions to patent infringement in the UK: dycip.com/agritech-infringement-farming
• Agritech prototyping - the risk of public disclosure: dycip.com/agritech-prototyping-disclosure