Ten of Australia’s “leading” agricultural research organisations are working together to bolster on-farm adoption of research outcomes and returns to farmers.
Delivered through Hort Innovation and led by Enablers of Change, the three-year collaborative initiative will coach researchers and extension practitioners to pilot innovative approaches and learn from each other, with the ultimate goal of delivering results across the agriculture sector.
The partners involved in this collaboration are:
- Hort Innovation
- Cotton Research and Development Corporation
- Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
- Grains Research and Development Corporation
- Wine Australia
- Dairy Australia
- AgriFutures
- LiveCorp
- NSW Department of Primary Industries
- University of Melbourne’s Drought and Innovation Hub
Hort Innovation CEO Brett Fifield says it’s crucial for agricultural research organisations to collaborate on cross-industry priorities such as research adoption.
“That’s why we’re working with other research and development corporations and investor bodies to ensure that we design our research projects with the end-user front of mind from the outset,” he says.
“Where there are common challenges and opportunities to tackle, it just makes sense to work together to amplify our efforts and reduce duplication.”
Mr Fifield says Australia’s agricultural levy and research funding model is the envy of other countries and believes that this joint initiative will take impact and return on levy investment to a whole new level.
“Getting research gains into the hands of our growers and equipping them to make changes that positively impact their business is a key priority for Hort Innovation – and other research organisations,” he says.
“With around $160 million invested in research and development, trade and marketing by our organisation alone over the past year, the next step is ensuring that these investments deliver optimum impact on farm and on the bottom line of farm businesses.”