With so much capacity, creativity, and conviction in Australia’s agritech ecosystem, our primary industries are turning to forums like AgriFutures evokeAG. to connect problems with problem solvers. Here, Western Australia’s (WA) Primary Industries Development Chief Scientist, Dr Ben Biddulph, asks WA’s broadacre, pastoral, and horticulture sectors to outline the big challenges impacting their industry – and their wish list for the next generation of agritech innovations.
This week we bring you our evokeAG. 2024 series with Ryan Rakestraw and Matt Macfarlane joining our contributor Jayne Cuddihy in conversation, exploring everything from what's ahead in the startup world tomorrow, to what's coming further down the road.
Katia Taylor’s always been a fan of detective stories. Now, through her work at CSIRO, she’s investigating the mysterious case of disappearing soil carbon.
The artificial intelligence (AI) revolution has taken the world by storm, and the Australian agrifood sector is no exception. As we witness the emergence of innovative products like ChatGPT, Claude, Midjourney, and Stable Diffusion, it's clear that the past 50 years of computer science investment have culminated in a plethora of AI-driven solutions. Andrew Skinner, Director of digital and data systems consultancy firm, More Than Machines, reflects on all things AI and why Australian agriculture is punching above its weight.
From oilseed crops to sugar cane and forestry by-products – when it comes to developing biofuels we should be looking to the sky. More specifically, sustainable aviation fuels. Global demand is poised to take-off and experts caution that Australia needs to get onboard to encourage the investment required to capture this opportunity.
Australia's economic landscape has long been characterised by two formidable pillars: mining and agriculture. These industries, while distinct in operation and sometimes at odds politically, share a tapestry of challenges, knowledge, and opportunities. Could the surprising interconnectedness of mining and agriculture pave the way for collaborative solutions to shared challenges? As Australia embarks on a journey towards sustainable economic development, harnessing the collective wisdom of these industries will be instrumental in realising our shared bounty.
Rebecca Tomkinson, CEO, Chamber of Minerals and Energy of Western Australia explores five key factors of this symbiotic relationship.
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 evokeAG. 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 evokeAG. 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.
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.
