What do you get when you have leading international agrifood tech venture capitalists (VCs) and top tier private equity investors on a panel? A lot of predictions about the future, of course. But this year a panel at evoke^AG. 2024 also spoke openly about their reflections and the stark reality - a downturn in investment, coupled with geopolitical relations and inflation brings further financial headwinds. However, it’s certainly not all bad news. While entrepreneurs don’t have as much money to access from VCs, the overall agrifood tech ecosystem is maturing, with a broader awareness of the sector. 

With the World Economic Forum predicting an estimated $10 trillion business opportunity for nature investments by 2030, investors are becoming increasingly interested in natural capital. But, while natural capital is the latest phrase on everyone’s lips, taking it from a concept to achieving real-world, valuable outcomes is challenging.

Carbon is the currency of modern agriculture, so it’s no surprise that attendees at AgriFutures evoke^AG. 2024 were keen to know how Australia’s ag sector can overcome its stubbornly slow adoption of low-carbon solutions. As we hurtle towards 2030 (D-Day for most decarbonisation pledges both in Australia and internationally) market and regulatory pressures to reduce GHG emissions are bearing down upon the agrifood supply chain. Despite the urgency to respond, Australian producers aren’t yet flocking to low carbon production.

Here, top academics, early adopters, and sustainable livestock feed innovators share their truths on why adoption is lagging, and how we can drive faster progress.

With more applications than ever before, it’ll be a nail-biting, whip cracking, nerve wracking time when the 2024 evoke^AG. Pitch in the Paddock Competition fires up next month at Beef2024. Get to know the eight visionaries and innovators who will be going head-to-head in Rockhampton, Queensland.

Youth climate rallies, rising costs of living, food insecurity and farmers taking tractors to the streets in protest. To solve the world’s environmental problems Dr Lewis Akenji, Managing Director of the Hot or Cool Institute, says we need to tackle social tensions first – and that means addressing food systems sustainability with a five-step approach for a future-fit agrifood culture.

The price of fresh food and how the profits are shared along the supply chain from producer to check-out is under scrutiny, in both parliamentary and ACCC inquiries, in the media, and around the dinner table.
But how can fresh food producers pivot business models to get better outcomes? And what role does technology play in unlocking opportunities throughout the supply chain?

We often hear about the “cutting edge” or the most advanced technology or product but what about something that’s so radical and un-tested that it’s at the “bleeding edge”?
That kind of innovation can fill a gap in the market and deliver significant premiums but comes with risk.
A diverse group from the agrifood supply chain, both in Australian and export markets, share their insight in developing something new and finding a market willing to pay for it.

Indigenous people have lived in Australia and interacted with country for millennia. And over this period, they’ve developed knowledge systems which have been nurtured and passed down through generations. The Western world knows such knowledge systems as intellectual property (IP). But when Indigenous cultural IP and Western business models converge, how do we ensure shared benefit?
Here, Indigenous entrepreneurs and business leaders discuss the opportunities, risks – and tremendous importance – of sharing cultural knowledge with a modern world.

On paper, decarbonisation programs to reduce scope 3 emissions on-farm sound like the best option for our producers, our industry and our planet; but what do they look like in practice? The team from Cargill share how its partnership with Regrow Ag is supporting Australian canola farmers.

There’s nothing that survives the ravages of time quite like a cockroach. Unicorns? Not so much. Tim Neale, president, Australian Agritech Association, and Co-Founder and Managing Director, DataFarming, awarded Australia’s Best Agritech 2023, shares why we need to support more ‘cockroaches’ in agritech.

A $60 million investment program designed to galvanise the research and adoption of agritech in regional farming areas has been launched by Charles Sturt University, Australia’s largest educator of agricultural students.

Water. Soil. Nutrients. Climate. All critical components of a successful farming enterprise. But is there any component more fundamental than trust; that fragile commodity which we take for granted when we’ve got it – but find impossible to ignore when it’s lost.
But what exactly is trust, and how can agrifood producers not only build trust – but protect it?

Mark Allison is the Managing Director and CEO of Elders, with a career in agribusiness spanning 43-years. Here Mark observes the ‘Five P’s’ for successful innovation and why we need more than just passion to bring agriculture closer to its productivity and sustainability goals.

Biologicals are making their mark on agriculture by harnessing the power of nature to improve yields, prevent disease and ward off pests. We explore four dos and don’ts for this fast-growing sector.

From accelerating the process of plant breeding and predicting shelf life of fresh produce to leveraging satellite imagery and data to develop a drought insurance policy - artificial intelligence (AI) is already at work in our agrifood supply chains.
But as use of this technology gains pace how do we ensure shared benefits and ethical use? The innovators and entrepreneurs at the forefront using this technology share their views.

Collaboration and innovation are key to overcoming the challenges facing the world’s agricultural sectors. Eleven UK companies recently visited Australia with Innovate UK to create new connections at AgriFutures evoke^AG. on 20-21 February 2024 as part of an innovative program helping accelerate agritech solutions across the globe.