MORE than $4.6 million dollars is now available for innovative research projects across Northern Australia as part of the Cooperative Research Centre for Developing Northern Australia’s (CRCNA) latest funding round announced today.

Expressions of interest (EOI) for the CRCNA’s funding call opened today and will close at 5pm AEST on Friday 7 September 2018.

The 2018/19 EOI funding call will target industry-led research collaborations to develop important new technologies, products and services which address industry problems in Northern Australia in the areas of:

Agriculture and Food (including aquaculture)

• Developing stronger and more efficient supply chains for new and existing Northern agricultural industries.
• Developing new systems or technologies for new or existing industries which transform the way existing supply chains operate across Northern agricultural industries.

Northern Australian Health Service Delivery

• Developing innovative health service delivery infrastructure, methods and/ technology models which enable and support:
  • improved early disease detection
  • improved mental health seeking behaviour
  • improved mental health seeking behaviour and support systems
• Developing new market opportunities and prospectus building.

Traditional Owner-led Business Development

• Delivering new place-based development opportunities for Traditional Owners across agriculture/ food and /or health service delivery sectors.

CRCNA Chair Sheriden Morris said she hopes the funding call will attract industry participants and researchers who are not afraid to think big to solve industry problems.

“The CRCNA is looking for projects which offer transformative solutions – something which totally changes the way a problem is treated and resolved by industry, for industry and for Northern Australia communities.”

The second EOI call follows a successful first round in October 2017, which saw the CRCNA commit $7.184m to co-fund 13 projects with a total project value of more than $20m. A project’s value is based on cash and in-kind co-contributions from the CRCNA, project leaders, and research, investment and industry partners.

Successful projects from round one included a biosecurity audit of Queensland prawn farms, a plan to explore how agricultural producers can better identify higher returning Asian markets and the development of an Indigenous freshwater prawn breeding business in Western Australia.

“Importantly, the EOI must set out what the broader impact will be for the wider North Australian community by showing how the research will lead to increased investment, more jobs and wealth, improve the wellbeing of the community or improve supply chain efficiencies.”

The CRCNA has three dedicated Project Managers based in Townsville, Broome and Darwin available to assist with enquiries about the latest funding call.

EOI forms and guidelines can be accessed via the CRCNA’s website www.crcna.com.au.