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Innovation in our agriculture sector is critical for our economy , our food security and so much more .
Land support
Strengthening Australia ’ s agricultural sector for the future .
By Wade Zaglas
A recent Australian Council of Learned Academies ( ACOLA ) report identifies and discusses challenges critical to ensuring Australia ’ s agricultural industry remains competitive in the future .
While Australian farmers have a reputation for being among the most “ efficient primary producers in the world ”, significant challenges such as drought , biosecurity , global competition and consumer preferences threaten our agricultural standing . In saying that , Australia ’ s primary producers are renowned for their innovation and willingness to adopt new technologies to increase productivity , sustainability and profitability .
The report , titled The Future of Agricultural Technologies , was commissioned by Australia ’ s chief scientist Dr Alan Finkel on behalf of the National Science and Technology Council . The Department of Agriculture , Water and the Environment also supported the report .
The report examines the opportunities afforded by nine technologies : sensors , the Internet of Things ( IoT ), robotics , machine learning , large scale optimisation and data fusion , biotechnology , nanotechnology and distributed ledger technology .
Such technologies are analysed in terms of their ability to “ improve the efficiency and profitability of agricultural production , develop novel agricultural industries and markets , and to contribute to a range of social and environmental values ”.
“ Australia ’ s diverse agriculture , fisheries and forestry sector is a $ 69 billion industry , delivering significant benefits for our nation - particularly at a time where our economy is facing unprecedented challenges ,” Finkel said .
“ However , reaching the Government ’ s goal of $ 100 billion by 2030 will likely require more than just incremental technological advancements .
“ Historically , Australian producers have been rapid adopters of innovation , and these emerging technologies will help our agriculture sector to transform and tackle current and future challenges .”
Playing a key role in the future of farm management will be the “ digitisation of farms through the Internet of Things ( IOT )”. This , coupled with data gathering , will significantly improve farms ’ abilities to monitor animal and plant health , track resources and utilise “ precision agriculture ”.
ACOLA chair , Professor Joy Damousi , also posited that increasing new technologies in the sector will help to maximise opportunities for Indigenous Australian landholders , regional employment and business development . The challenges and considerations for industry , government and the wider sector in developing and adopting these technologies is also discussed in detail .
The report highlights how technology and innovation have been a feature of Australian agriculture throughout the years , particularly in increasing productivity .
“ For example , crop production more than doubled while using only 11 percent more land between the early 1960s and mid-2000s ( Langridge , Cordell , & D ’ Occhio , 2014 ),” the report states .
“ This growth was partly due to the adoption of technologies such as precision agriculture , no-till cropping systems , new varieties and automation .”
The importance of the Australian agriculture , forestry and fishing industries is underscored by the fact that , in 2019 , these industries employed 334,300 people , equating to 2.6 per cent of people employed in Australia ( Australian Bureau of Statistics , 2019 ).
However , the 2019 figures represent “ a decline of about a quarter between 2000 and 2018 ; and is predicted to keep falling until 2023 ( Australian Industry and Skills Committee , 2018 )”.
This decline in the number of people employed in the agricultural sector has been attributed to population growth , increasing urbanisation and technology-driven increases in production efficiency ( Hazell & Wood , 2008 ). Also , productivity growth has slowed since the mid-1990s and “ become more variable ”.
Some of the reasons identified for this slowdown have been research gaps , limited capital , low profitability , international competition and , of course adverse weather events .
One of the chairs for the ACOLA Expert Working Group , Professor Stewart Lockie , added : “ Innovation in our agriculture sector is critical for our economy , our food security and so much more .
“ With a supportive policy environment , workforce and investment , we are confident that the future of agriculture in Australia will be one in which data analytics and artificial intelligence are as at-home on the farm as they are in any other high-tech industry .” ■
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