A new vision for Australia’s rural innovation

Delivering a unified vision will require in-depth perspectives from several industry stakeholders and as Queensland’s peak body for horticulture, Growcom is eager to be at the forefront of these conversations as a vocal advocate for growers.

The new study will be undertaken by Ernst & Young and will involve more than 450 interviews and 10 workshops to garner a broad snapshot of the latest industry innovations and leading research in agtech development.

Australia’s rural innovation system, which has helped farmers increase their productivity over the past 30 years, could benefit from looking overseas to attract capital and develop new research ideas relating to innovative technology.

Through our advocacy and projects, Growcom aims to improve growers’ pathways to commercialisation so they can attract investments, new export markets and more consumers of their produce.

Our Innovation Coach, funded by Hort Innovation, is a good example of a research and development project that helps to guide and mentor growers and employees along their innovation journey. An independent facilitator or ‘coach’ works one-on-one with growers to understand their business needs and vision. They then provide growers with the right resources to advise, identify, and apply for grants and programs to improve their practices.

To advance these practices even further, we encourage our members to have their say before the government’s new vision of Australia’s rural innovation system is finalised.

The study does not intend to restructure Australia's Rural Research and Development Corporations but aims to help contribute to NFF’s target of an agriculture sector worth a $100 billion by 2030.

Growcom looks forward to working closely with government to work towards a unified vision of an innovation system to be launched early next year.