Growing the Australian Native Ag+Food sector

Food Futures Company Pty Ltd

  • Project code: PRJ-012544

  • Project stage: Closed

  • Project start date: Sunday, May 31, 2020

  • Project completion date: Sunday, August 29, 2021

  • National Priority: NEI - New and Emerging Industries - SM1

Summary

There is considerable opportunity for the Australian Native Agriculture and Food sector to become a successful
world-class industry, supplying high value products to consumers in several categories including:
-Value-added food products
-Functional ingredients and bioceuticals
-Ingredients for the cosmetic and skin care sector
This R&D project will undertake preliminary research and pilots that will become the ‘blueprint’ to inform a broader 3-5 year strategy called the Australian Native Agriculture and Food Innovation & Entrepreneurship (I+E) Plan. The aim of the longer-term plan (which will be undertaken in collaboration with other key initiatives including the proposed Australian Native Food and Agriculture CRC) is to build capability and to stimulate sector growth. The specific areas of focus for the project are on building knowledge and designing interventions that address:
-Limited adoption of AgTech and Foodtech solutions
-Fragmentation and low connectivity within value chains
-Need to develop new talent and entrepreneurial capability
-Low levels of commercialisation of value-added product and business model innovations
-Inability to effectively engage investors
Project outcomes will include three specific value chain case studies; learning from initial pilot initiatives including the first pre-accelerator targeted specifically at the native ag+food sector; and recommendations for the design and delivery of future initiatives.

Program

New and Emerging Industries

Research Organisation

Food Futures Company Pty Ltd

Objective Summary

The project will explore the following RD&E questions:

  1. What are the key problems in both commercial and wild harvest value chains which modern AgTech and Foodtech solutions could potentially address e.g. production and distribution efficiency; health & safety; labour shortages; data analytics and decision-support; traceability; food safety and quality; convenience; sustainable packaging; consumer health and nutrition?
  2. Are there existing and/or emerging AgTech and Foodtech solutions that could be adapted from other sectors and if so, what are the further development requirements?
  3. What are the key issues impeding adoption of new technologies?
  4. What are the current issues in value chain structures that may limit successful commercialisation of innovations and how could these be addressed via value chain and business model design?
  5. What are the current levels of awareness and capability of entrepreneurs/new ventures in relation to developing innovative products and services based on native plants and proteins that address emerging consumer needs and the need for greater transparency and traceability?
  6. How well do these entrepreneurs/new ventures understand domestic and export market opportunities; supply-side strategies; Indigenous cultural and knowledge ownership; the potential for new technologies to support stronger growth; Intellectual Property; and the importance of strategic partnerships for commercialisation?
  7. What are the opportunities to increase investment in the sector by better engaging impact investors; large corporates; customers; crowdfunding mechanisms