There is lots of news below, so I will keep my update brief as we wind down for the year. On that note, we will have limited staff on board from the 20th December until the 10th of January next year. However, one of the team will be checking the tnqhub@jcu.edu.au email if you need to get in touch during this time.
Our recent Partners Planning Day went well with approx. 45 people attending in person to the TNQ Hub’s home base at the JCU Ideas Lab in Cairns. Feedback from the day was very positive and a report of the outcomes is in progress. While it was important to hold this first session face to face, we aim to hold further sessions that will have an online option for those who cannot travel in 2022.
We also engaged with Node and Activity Leaders in a planning day, which aimed to achieve an agreed but adaptable activity schedule for 2022 (and beyond) and to draw clarity around the role of the Drought Resilience Coordinator’s with regards to on-ground activity planning and delivery.
In other news we had 13 applications for the Directors role and short listing and interviews will progress over the coming weeks. We are also progressing the position for the Independent Chair for the Steering Committee and will announce who that is shortly.
There is lots of information about grants and other opportunities below so keep reading and let us know how we can assist as needed.
As we prepare for Christmas and the new year, we are looking forward to continuing hub activities early next year.
Dan Christie, Interim Director
Know someone who wants to be involved?
Whats Next?
A calendar of events for 2022 will be available soon.
Final chance to provide feedback on the FDF Annual Report, due 15 December 2021, more info below.
Applications are now open for the $23 million Drought Resilient Soils and Landscapes grant program, more info below.
Future Drought Fund Science to Practice Forum 7-9 June 2022, more information below.
Image: Network Partners Planning Day
AgTech21 – Emerald
The Central Highlands Development Corporation (CHDC) hosted the AgFrontier AgTech21: Build it, Use it, Profit, a major biennial innovation and technology event for the Australian agricultural community. The event brought together the smartest minds at the intersection of agriculture, machinery and technology to explore the future of agribusiness and showcase the latest innovations to improve farm and business profitability. There was more than 40 exhibitors and nearly 300 attendees. The AgFrontier AgTech event series is arguably the most significant regional innovation and technology event in the nation for Australia’s agricultural community.
The JCU Agriculture Technology and Adoption Centre (AgTAC) and the TNQ Drought Hub were Ruby Partners for AgTech21 and the team traveled to Emerald in western Queensland to participate. AgTAC provides the framework that feeds into the TNQ Drought Hub’s Transformational Agricultural Systems and Innovation and Commercialisation activities that aim to transform and create impact from technology.
Image: Traveling TNQ Hub Team (from left to right) Simon Page (Project Officer); Sarah Jones (Student Ambassador); Rachel Hay (Knowledge Broker); Yvette Everingham (Transformational Agricultural Systems Lead) and Larissa Burnett (JCU Future Student Advisor)
AgTAC takes a multi-disciplinary approach to industry relevant problems working closely with local and global partners to ensure that digital technologies are fit-for-purpose and more accessible to primary industries. The centre places a strong emphasis on technology adoption and green finance mechanisms and leverages knowledge, creativity and innovation to make adoption of new sustainability measures attractive and accessible.
AgTAC’s intent is to lead innovation and adoption of technologies in the Northern Australia Ag sector to tackle industry relevant issues and remain globally competitive. Build human capacity in AgTech in our region and support and mentor early career researchers to contribute true solutions that transform the food-fibre-climate-water-energy nexus using digital technologies to drive job creation and economic growth.
We value sustainable farming systems that are profitable, eco-friendly and give farmers a social license to operate. We achieve our values through stakeholder driven research and activities using knowledge about climate resistant systems, our environmental assets creating inclusive multicultural, gender diverse co-designed solutions, for large and small scale farmers.
Indigenous Rangers Datathon Inaugural Event
The TNQ Drought Hub was proud to be a sponsor for the Northern Australia Indigenous Datathon. Developed by Entrepreneur in Residence, Darryl Lyons, the2-day event held at the Nguma-bada Campus, James Cook University, Cairns that brought together a diverse group of data professionals, indigenous communities and students to explore digital as well as data-driven solutions to solve real-world indigenous community challenges in Northern Australia.
Each team was supported by a community leader to use data to solve a challenge or problem applicable to their community; at least one of the data sources provided was used to create a digital solution using AI/ML. Teams presented their solution in a 4 minute pitch to a judging panel on the final day of the event.
Image: Justin Dick, Kowanyama Rangers
The purpose of the event is to share knowledge with participants and partners on indigenous culture and community. We wanted to engage participants in indigenous communities to encourage the transfer of digital innovation back into the community. The event trained participants to handle data and to develop tools that solve real world problems, as well as creating connections and fostering collaborative engagement with technologists, students and indigenous peoples and communities.
Keep an eye out for more information about the Northern Australia Indigenous Datathon as Darryl takes it on Country in 2022
Network Partners Planning Day
Approximately 45 people attended the recent Network Partners Planning day on the 16th November 2021. This was the first opportunity for the Network Partners to come together and provide input into the Node activity planning. While we held the first meeting in a face to face environment, future meetings will have an online option so that more of our partners can get involved.
We started the day with a presentation from the Interim Director, Daniel Christie. We did some speed meeting and then progressed through a roving ideas storm, where Activity Leaders presented their activity schedule and then participants had 5-10 minutes to silently consider how they fit in or any gaps they could see. This was followed by 5-10 minutes of robust conversation and then 5-10 minutes of bringing it all together.
Image: Speed Meeting, Network Partners Planning Day
We are currently collating all of the statements from the post it notes and will provide an overview of the findings soon.
It is important to note that this was the first opportunity to get involved. There will be many more in 2022 and we look forward to seeing you at the next planning day.
Node Leaders Planning Day
Following on from the Network Partners Planning Day, we held a Hub and Node Planning day on the 30th of November 2021.
Similar to the roving ideas storms, we used Conversation Stations to hold one on one Node/Activity Lead chats where each Activity Lead gave an overview of their activity schedule to the Node, bringing relevant themes and ideas from the Network Partner Planning Day. The 30 minute sessions allowed the Node Leaders to respond to the activities to narrow down to an adaptable activity schedule to be activated in 2022. We’re not sure we got there, but it was a great start!
The Conversation Stations were followed by a group discussion and then next steps and actions.
We hope to update the Activity Plans to the TNQ Drought Hub website soon.
Image: Hub and Node Leaders from the planning day
Provide Feedback on the Future Drought Fund Annual Report
Future Drought Fund: the story so far and how you can be part of the journey
The $5 billion Future Drought Fund supports initiatives that will help Australia’s farmers prepare for the impacts of future drought.
The Fund has released its first annual report which details its beginnings, what’s been achieved so far and how success is measured.
Consultation is an important element of the Fund’s journey to better prepare farmers and regional and rural communities for future drought.
The Australian Government is committed to providing farmers and communities with the tools they need to prepare for, manage and sustain their livelihoods through drought. Some good groundwork has been set in the Fund’s first year and your feedback is sought to ensure efforts are well directed and effective.
Share your thoughts through our Have Your Say webpage before 15 December 2021.
Future Drought Fund: Drought Resilient Soils and Landscapes
Future Drought Fund: $23 million in grants for broad scale projects that support drought resilience
Applications are now open for the $23 million Drought Resilient Soils and Landscapes grant program. The program will fund projects that demonstrate land management practices that support the drought resilience of Australian agriculture through the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund.
Successful projects will demonstrate land management practices that help agricultural land be more productive during drought and recover quicker after drought. Projects need to show effectiveness at scale and help drive broad uptake of such practices.
We know that there are many examples of farmers who were able to stay more productive, and recover quicker following drought because of the way they manage their land and natural resources. Strategies to manage groundcover, water flow, soil carbon and moisture, alternative crops and fodder, and various grazing and cropping strategies can all play a role.
If you want to help bring these practices into the mainstream and demonstrate how to build drought resilience at a broad scale, apply today for grant funding.
The competitive grants process is open until 11 January 2022.
To learn more about the program and how to submit your best application, register for the Drought Resilient Soils and Landscapes webinar on Tuesday 14 December | 10:30am – 11:30am AEDT | Register here.
For more about the Future Drought Fund and its programs, visit www.awe.gov.au/fdf
Future Drought Fund: Drought Resilient Soils and Landscapes
Future Drought Fund: $23 million in grants for broad scale projects that support drought resilience
Applications are now open for the $23 million Drought Resilient Soils and Landscapes grant program. The program will fund projects that demonstrate land management practices that support the drought resilience of Australian agriculture through the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund.
Successful projects will demonstrate land management practices that help agricultural land be more productive during drought and recover quicker after drought. Projects need to show effectiveness at scale and help drive broad uptake of such practices.
We know that there are many examples of farmers who were able to stay more productive, and recover quicker following drought because of the way they manage their land and natural resources. Strategies to manage groundcover, water flow, soil carbon and moisture, alternative crops and fodder, and various grazing and cropping strategies can all play a role.
If you want to help bring these practices into the mainstream and demonstrate how to build drought resilience at a broad scale, apply today for grant funding.
The competitive grants process is open until 11 January 2022.
To learn more about the program and how to submit your best application, register for the Drought Resilient Soils and Landscapes webinar on Tuesday 14 December | 10:30am – 11:30am AEDT | Register here.
For more about the Future Drought Fund and its programs, visit www.awe.gov.au/fdf
Science to Practice Forum – 7-9 June 2022 – call for presenters!
The next Science to Practice Forum will bring together farmers, researchers, practitioners, agri-businesses, governments and consumers. It aims to connect participants to national priorities and enhance collaboration to help grow and transform Australian agriculture.
To help achieve this, the Future Drought Fund (FDF) team seek applications from public communicators able to showcase their knowledge, programs, and activities in line with the Forum’s broad themes:
- Drought resilience: economic, environmental and social – including mental health
- Successes and pitfalls of diverse collaboration
- Extension of science to farms and farmers
The Science to Practice Forum is also seeking experts in disruptive innovation more broadly, as the FDF is designed to deliver a step change in how we approach building drought resilience.
Applications for presenters, panelists and podcast guests open now, for more information and to apply click the link below:
TNQ Drought Hub Nodes
1 TNQ Hub Cairns
James Cook University
2 Tropical North node
Northern Gulf Resource Management Group Ltd
3 Gulf of Carpentaria node
Southern Gulf Natural Resource Management Ltd
4 Fitzroy node
Fitzroy Basin Association
5 Mackay and Whitsundays node
Reef Catchments (Mackay Whitsundays Isaac) Ltd
6 Burdekin node
NQ Dry Tropics Ltd
