Emily Malone

The Australian Government set a target of net zero emissions by 2050, there’s industry-driven sustainability frameworks for key agricultural commodities and momentum is building to account for natural capital in our farming systems. And increasingly consumers want more information about how their food is produced and banks too are looking at ‘green’ credentials. At evoke^AG. 2023 two end-to-end players from the beef and grain supply chains outline why sustainability matters to them and what they’re doing to address it.

Government, industries and companies are stepping up their climate commitments and evoke^AG. 2023 highlighted the opportunities and potential challenges for agriculture in tapping into the carbon market. A panel of experts working in this space argued there’s more than one way for farmers to cash in on soil carbon and climate friendly management practices, but that data is the key.

Australia has the third largest marine area in the world and the ‘blue economy’ already contributes more than $81 billion* to the nation’s bottom line. And like land-based agriculture, there’s increasing pressure for the sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth and to produce food and energy, while conserving the ecosystem.

Australian diners will soon have the option to tuck into a piece of meat grown from animal cells in a laboratory rather than a paddock. Synthetic biology, or SynBio, is also helping to engineer ingredients for plant-based proteins, design crops for fuel production, and the development of insecticides with the help of bespoke microbes.

Four interwoven challenges: climate, COVID-19, conflict, and cost have disrupted agrifood supply chains and led to skyrocketing costs for farm inputs, all set amongst fears for global food security and the transition to a decarbonised economy.

Developing innovative solutions and technology to make agriculture easier, more profitable, or sustainable is one thing, but getting farmers to use it is often a challenge. A new initiative by Farmers2Founders (F2F), is focused on breaking down the critical barriers to agtech adoption by putting the farmer first, building connections and removing some of the risk.