Innovation and Adoption
The ABA industry development ( ID ) team works side-by-side with almond growers , industry stakeholders and value chain members to implement the Almond Industry Strategic Plan . Funded through Hort Innovation the program extends new knowledge and technologies generated by Australian and international researchers as well as drawing on expertise from within the grower community to establish best practice in an Australian context .
In 2023-24 an industry-wide grower survey informed the codesign of a five-year extension strategy under the guidance of the ABA Production Committee , ABA Board of Directors and Hort Innovation .
The purpose of the extension strategy is to improve the reach , knowledge and uptake of innovation that provides value to almond growers . Informed decisions will contribute to the profitability and sustainability of almond businesses enabling them to continue best practice while supporting their local and global communities . With innovation and adoption our vision for the extension strategy is successful almond businesses , nurturing landscapes , valued by community .
Priority outcomes for innovation and adoption include :
1 . Protecting against sustainability threats and promoting value ( Environmental Social Governance ),
2 . Continuously improving extension delivery ( Member Services ), 3 . Enhancing grower community capacity and resilience ( People ),
4 . Optimising innovation and best practice ( Research , Development and Innovation ).
Within these priority outcomes the focus areas for 2023 / 24 included : biosecurity response to Varroa destructor , maintaining healthy hives and pollination efficiency ; on-farm storage and stockpile management , hygiene strategies and control of orchard pests and diseases , improving on-farm water use efficiency , understanding almond tree nutrition , maintaining disease free planting material and evaluating new varieties and rootstocks ; food safety and establishing industry-wide quality standards and future proofing industry capacity .
Industry intelligence is continually gathered by the ID team through a variety of sources including daily grower and stakeholder feedback , ABA subcommittee meetings , project reference group meetings , research reviews and findings , forum discussions , overseas publications and monitoring changes in government policy regulations . Industry standard practice is also gathered through webinar and field day feedback mechanisms to continually improve the effectiveness and timeliness of delivery .
The ABA values the strong cohesive relationships it has with industry leaders , researchers , service providers and commercial agents , both in Australia and overseas , allowing trusted communication and information sharing providing Australian almond growers with the knowledge and capacity needed to adapt to the increasingly dynamic , environmental , social and economic operating conditions .
The ABA website provides the point of reference for all project deliverables creating a valuable legacy of information to support the Australian almond industry .
Activities delivered in 2023 / 24 includes :
• 11 field days , orchard walks , international guest tours - 443 participants
• 10 almond skills workshops on irrigation and nutrition - 234 participants
• Almond industry R & D Forum and Robinvale farm tour - 260 participants
• 5 webinars - 125 participants
• 20 ABA subcommittee meetings - 220 participants
• 79 liaison meetings with 298 industry , researchers , government stakeholders
• 43 biosecurity meetings with biosecurity stakeholders
• 8 issues-based or project reference group meetings
• Riverina regional meeting - 42 participants
• 11 presentations to 324 industry stakeholders
• 8 factsheets , 1 tool and 5 videos
• 58 farm visits
ANNUAL REPORT 2023-2024 | 11