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Littleproud commissions strategic vision for rural innovation

Beef Central, 14/09/2018

Minister for Agriculture David Littleproud has commissioned Ernst & Young to develop a strategic vision for Australia’s rural innovation system.

Agriculture minister David Littleproud with CPC CEO Troy Setter and Bunda station manager James Beale at the CPC awards earlier this year.

The Minister says the process will develop a shared vision for the future of rural innovation, but stressed it is not a restructure of existing Research and Development Corporations.

The Minister said extensive consultation will be undertaken to develop a shared vision for the future of Australian agriculture, involving more than 450 interviews and 10 workshops.

The process will also investigate overseas approaches to research, innovation and agtech development.

“EY will consult widely and then develop this shared vision for the future of Australian agriculture, and describe how rural innovation will drive the sector towards this shared vision,” Minister Littleproud said.

“I want all players from across agriculture, research and agtech sectors to contribute.

“The report will look at how to get the most out of Australia’s rural innovation system through spurring cooperation and collaboration, attracting capital from around the globe and developing our research ideas into cutting edge technology.

“Australia should have a world-class, modern and dynamic rural innovation system which attracts capital and delivers the results of research as real tools farmers can use.

“Our rural innovation system has helped farmers increase productivity over the past 30 years and needs to continue to do that as we move towards the NFF’s target of an agriculture sector worth a $100 billion by 2030.

“Let’s make sure Australia’s rural innovation system is ‘fit for the future’ and improve it through more strategic collaboration, improved pathways to commercialisation and by becoming a more attractive place for investment in research and agtech development.

“This is not a restructure of the RDCs.

“I want all players across the industry to contribute to this work so we all have a shared vision going forward. This should be something every farmer and farm-related business can be part of and get real benefit from – not a bunch of buzz words which mean nothing and help no-one.

“It’d be great to leave a legacy which delivers for Australia long after the next election. Nobody ever delivered anything great by focussing only on today.”

Mr Littleproud said he expects the new vision of Australia’s innovation system will be launched early next year.

Source: Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources 

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Comments

  1. Paul Wood, 15/09/2018

    We have had more reviews, reports, commissions etc in Ag including innovation than any of us would wish. What we could use is some long-term Strategic policy from Government.

  2. Andrew Negline, 14/09/2018

    Congratulations to the Minister on this initiative.
    Clearly innovation would foster collaboration and cooperation in Australian agriculture.
    Innovation for our sector would need to be clearly defined in the first instance and once defined would require a culture to support and drive new and future pipeline of ideas.
    Andrew Negline
    Stockwell Rural Australia.

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