67. Fixing Food’s Broken Economics with Sophia Fannon-Howell from Aterra.ai

What if the real problem in food is not productivity, but a deep imbalance of power? Sophia Fannon-Howell, founder of Aterra.AI argues that the UK food system is structurally tilted against farmers: they carry the risk, produce the value, and yet capture only a fraction of the reward, while larger players control the data, the market visibility, and the negotiating leverage. In that context, AI matters not as a shiny new farming tool, but as a way to shift intelligence and influence back to the people at the base of the system.A data and innovation leader from the energy and commodities world, Sophia is building Aterra around a farmer-first model: shared data foundations, practical AI tools, and cooperative governance. The focus is deliberately unflashy but commercially powerful, helping farmers access grants, benchmark contracts, understand supply and demand, reduce waste, and strengthen local food networks. The bigger insight is that if farmers own their data and AI is used to correct market asymmetries rather than reinforce them, it can help create a food system that is more profitable, more regenerative, and far fairer.AI is our Business.UKAI is the Trade Association for AI businesses across the UK. Join us, ukai.co