Climate Research Strategy for Primary Industries (CRSPI) Assessment

Australian Farm Institute

  • Project code: PRJ-012335

  • Project stage: Closed

  • Project start date: Monday, November 18, 2019

  • Project completion date: Thursday, March 12, 2020

  • National Priority: Climate Research Strategy for Primary Industries

Summary

This project will assess the effectiveness and impact of the CRSPI program over its 10-year life span with a focus on performance against the most recent (2017-2020) strategic plan.
The purpose of the assessment is to provide the CRSPI partners and stakeholders with information and recommendations for future coordination of climate research, development and extension in primary industries. To meet this purpose, the past performance, effectiveness and indeed the need for the CRSPI collaboration model must be cast forward in the context of a rapidly changing RD&E environment.
It is possible that the regulatory structures which govern the operations of CRSPI’s partner organisations will change in the short to medium term. The need for change to the RD&E environment is partly driven by a desire to improve collaborative efficiency. Given that CRSPI was designed specifically to enable collaboration amongst its partners, learnings from the development of CRSPI will both inform the discussion around change to the RD&E system and also inform appropriate structure for ongoing coordination of climate research.
The climate research environment has significantly changed since CRSPI was established. Private investment through natural capital markets and impact investing is introducing a sense of urgency into the delivery of climate R&D. The political landscape around climate research for agriculture has also changed, with the AgMin forum agreeing to adopt a national framework to address the impact of climate change on the sector.
Accordingly, this review will not only assess the performance of CRSPI for the purpose of identifying future options but will also forecast a likely future operating environment for the CRSPI partners and stakeholders which will impact those options.

Program

Climate Research Strategy for Primary Industries

Research Organisation

Australian Farm Institute

Objective Summary

The outcome of the project will be that collaborative investment and coordinated response in primary industries RD&E prepares primary industries for adaptation to a changing and variable climate and delivers mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions.
The major objective of this project is that CRSPI partners and stakeholders are enabled to decide on the most appropriate future pathway to deliver collaboration and coordination of climate research, development and extension for primary industries.
Delivering on this objective will require:
• A thorough and critical analysis of the performance and impact of the CRSPI program, including analysis of the business case for critical projects.
• A description of the evolution and context of CRSPI within the RD&E environment, including analysis of the value that the collaborative aspects of the program have delivered to partner organisations and to efficiency of RD&E programs.
• Analysis of the broader (i.e. non-public sector) environment and investment in climate research and climate action and forecasts of a likely future state.
• Commentary on the likely future operating environment and potential structural and regulatory changes for current CRSPI partner organisations.
A series of objectives which will provide the evidence base for the major objective are described in the detailed project method.