Newsletter #23: February 2024

The TNQ Drought Hub team are contributing to the growth of AgTech through our Innovation and Commercialisation Program, Transformational Agricultural System Program, and through a new partnership with Farmers2Founders on the TEKFARM project. We also collaborate with JCU’s Agriculture Technology and Adoption Centre (AgTAC), JCU’s advanced manufacturing hub known as Area 61 and with CQ University’s Precision Livestock Management team.

I am often asked how AgTech can help to be more prepared for drought and to build resilience. From my perspective, the key is using AgTech to support decisions and forward planning. Every primary producer and agri-business has a unique operating environment, based on key aspects such as the climate and weather patterns, the mix of soils, enterprise mix, management styles, regulatory frameworks, global and domestic market forces, WHS laws, biosecurity obligations, and supply chain requirements and logistics – just to name a few.

The business aspects of agriculture are becoming more complex and it is quite unrealistic to expect a small to medium business to be an expert in every single aspect. AgTech can help make sense of a lot of these requirements, ranging from apps to help track biosecurity or WHS requirements, to on-farm tools that help boost productivity or save time. AgTech can also help inform decisions that improve:

• land condition, increase productivity and reduce input costs by increasing beef cattle breeder efficiency e.g., by using new preg testing devices
• soil health e.g., being able to monitor soil organism activity to identify if current cropping systems are encouraging or discouraging soil organism
• water and energy efficiency through high tech irrigation systems
• labor efficiency and reduce costs e.g., through remote water or pasture monitoring.

One conundrum in using technology to build resilience is that an effective solution at the farm scale can be detrimental for towns and communities. Throughout the history of agriculture, improved productivity and profitability tend to come from labor savings. Much of the current wave of AgTech aims to reduce the need for labor, often in response to the on-going shortage of skilled workers. A smaller workforce then leads to less employment opportunities on-farm or from town-based staff. It can also lead to job losses in support services.

We all want to keep jobs in the regions, and to keep our local communities and towns vibrant and resilient. One solution is to build capacity to service, design and manufacture AgTech across Queensland. The Queensland AgTech Roadmap aims to establish Queensland as a destination for the development and export of world-leading AgTech. It includes attracting and building local capability as a key focus area. This will also require leadership from local communities to champion their location as a great place for AgTech companies to design, service and operate from—a challenge that I am sure local leaders are up for.

One example of local leadership and entrepreneurial spirit coming together is OPS Australia based in Longreach, outback Queensland. OPS was started by a local grazier, and supported through Outback Queensland’s Advancing Regional Innovation Program, a regional entrepreneur program run by the Remote Area Planning and Development Board (RAPAD). OPS have a steering committee of local primary producers to identify industry issues and needs, and to help prioritise product development. They design, develop and manufacture products and provide technical support, all from Longreach. They prioritise local businesses, services and jobs, and have provided opportunities to local high school students to become part of the Australian AgTech industry.

I think this is an excellent example of what can be achieved when entrepreneurs, local government and state government work together to promote and support regional AgTech. It would be great to see more examples spring up across Queensland.

I hope I have provided some food for thought on the importance of AgTech to farm and town resilience, the need to find ways that AgTech can benefit both farm and town-based businesses, and some ideas of how this can be achieved in practice.

Until next time, keep safe and well,

David Phelps
Director