143 results for Internet of things

It’s an exciting time for Australian agritech and for AgriFutures growᴬᴳ⋅, as the platform evolves to meet the needs of this expanding industry, providing the vital connections which help big ideas flourish into reality. With tickets going on sale for AgriFutures evokeᴬᴳ⋅ 2024, grow^AG.'s Senior Manager, Arianna Sippel reflects on the buzz of evokeᴬᴳ⋅ 2023 and the importance of face-to-face connections.

Without pesticides the world could lose up to 50% of key food and fibre crops, devastating global supply. Through work undertaken by Dr Robert Mensah of NSW Department of Primary Industries (NSW DPI), in collaboration with the Cotton Research and Development Corporation (CRDC), effective biological control options for insect pests in cotton have been demonstrated and they are now seeking partners to commercialise these innovative solutions.

Agronomist and 2021 Young Farmer of the Year Emma Ayliffe and her business partner at Summit Ag, Heath McWhirter, crisscross the country advising farmers on how to improve their crop production and soil health. Now the pair is helping farmers connect with each other, with a purpose-built social media app for agriculture – YackerApp. With a thousand users and growing, Emma and Heath are looking for investors to take YackerApp to the next level.   

Statistically speaking, my daughters are underrepresented. They’re female, regionally located, and one has a disability.  

Recently, I asked them what they wanted to be when they grew up. One wants to work in an office and drink coffee “like Mummy”, and the other wants to be a doctor. 

I asked them about being a scientist, or a farmer, to which they replied “no, that’s for daddies”.

Agriculture is a critical part of the Australian economy, with the country’s agricultural, fisheries and forestry sector valued at $69 billion and growing. 

With that growth comes an urgent need to expand the use of agricultural technologies to ensure both productivity gains for farmers and Australia's role in the global food system. To do this, more investment needs to be channeled into both research and commercial initiatives for the country's agtech.

AgriFutures Australia created the grow^AG. program to address these needs.  

grow^AG. has around 9000 users per month. More than 50 per cent of our site visitors are from global markets, which really broadens our reach. This is important, not just to drive investment, but to show innovators across the world that Australia has the infrastructure and mindset to foster innovation, that we can test and develop their tech here. grow^AG. contributor Judy Kennedy sat down with Rebecca Bradford to explore how you can get the most out of grow^AG.   

From insects to indoor greens, Australian startups demonstrate the potential for novel farming systems at home and abroad. With the support of grow^AG.'s platform, three Aussie startups - ARC Ento Tech, Invertigro and the Gaia Project Australia, are gaining more visibility and investment.

Around half of Australian beekeepers desire more information to be made available on the queen bees they purchase, with selection traits and queen bee pedigree at the top of the list.

That’s according to a survey of 196 beekeepers and 11 queen bee breeders recently conducted by the University of Sydney and the New South Wales Department of Primary Industries (DPI) as part of the Australian Government Rural R&D for Profit, Plan Bee Genetic Improvement Program.

The NSW Department of Primary Industries is seeking suppliers for its Farms of the Future Agtech Catalogue, which will connect providers of IoT devices and connectivity solutions with farmers looking to adopt new digital solutions. Expressions of Interest close Friday, 12 August 2022.

New research conducted by Voconiq, a research company spun out of CSIRO, reveals that levels of trust and acceptance of the egg industry by Australians has increased significantly since 2018, whilst the COVID-19 pandemic is continuing to highlight the importance of eggs in Australian lives.

An Australian IT entrepreneur has created a turnkey greenhouse solution that makes commercial vanilla production a reality outside of the tropics. Now, Australian Vanilla Plantations is seeking investors to scale production of its innovative proprietary geodesic Vanilla Dome, and grow Australia’s share of the lucrative vanilla market. Expressions of Interest Open.

The future of innovation in horticulture is bright and will underpin the production of produce that is good for Australia and the world. 

Hort Innovation’s Head of R&D Byron de Kock said, “We strive for balance across our Research, Development and Extension program that represents more than $400 million of investment. At one end of the spectrum, we strive to transform and revolutionise through initiatives in biotechnology and robotics. At the other end, we seek to protect current production through biosecurity, crop protection, pest and disease control investments.”

Australians produce over 74 million tonnes of waste per year, with the amount of waste produced by farmers, fishers and foresters presenting a significant challenge. Limited support and practical options exist to avoid waste in the first place or manage it as part of the production process. 

The pre-farm gate waste program has been launched to support innovative ideas and options for the avoidance, recycling and reuse of pre-farm gate waste, and ensure there is clear direction and coordination of activities for the sector to achieve the required change.  

Can agrifood tech innovation help to harness the rising value of Australia’s wild harvest Kakadu plum – and secure its place in the cosmetics industry? Well, WA sunscreen brand, We Are Feel Good Inc. has done just that – and consumer demand is growing.

Kakadu plum has earned its status as one of Australia’s key native species – offering huge market potential. Almost exclusively wild harvested, production of the in-demand superfood extends from Broome, right across the Top End of Australia and into Queensland.

An extension of the acoustic network around the Australian coastline is set to provide new information about tagged fish and other marine species, helping to improve fisheries management.

Dotted around Australia’s extensive coastline are hundreds of acoustic marine receivers – listening stations that form part of a national network, tracking the progress of tagged marine animals as they travel to feed, breed and play.

The grain industry is a vital part of Australia’s economy, supplying 25% of the country’s agricultural gross value of production.

Nigel Hart, managing director of Australia’s Grain Research and Development Corporation (GRDC), says that given its important role in the food system — both at home and abroad — it’s critical that Australia’s grain industry fosters innovation through all available partners, including agtech startups. Tools that strengthen soils and yields, optimize input use, boost farm productivity and deliver, high-value, cleaner ingredients will ultimately help growers and food companies stay profitable in the face of climate change and shifting consumer preferences.

Hort Innovation is working with a consortium, led by agricultural consultancy RMCG in partnership with University of Technology Sydney (UTS) and global urban agriculture consultancy Agritecture, to assess the potential of emerging production technology and its application in the Australian urban landscape as part of a six-month project. 

The benefits to growers and Australia by use of technology such as vertical farm systems and hydroponics is food production and delivery systems that have the potential to redefine horticulture by optimising yield, quality, and supply.

Female food and agtech innovators will have the chance to pitch their commercial opportunity to a room of industry professionals and investors as part of a new pitch event announced last week at the XFactor Breakfast on the opening morning of AgriFutures Australia evoke^AG. event in Perth.  

Harnessing the power of lightning to advance the science of food production may seem like an impossible task, but a pair of Cairns-based entrepreneurs are turning that dream into reality with Rainstick, an agritech innovation that’s helping speed up growth rates, increase yield and stop mould before it sets in.

Graeme Barnett, Managing Director & CEO of Qponics speaks in a podcast about their innovative marine microalgae solution, how it can help droughtproof agriculture and become a major player in the future of protein production. Qponics is now seeking a $1m bridging round to scale the co-production of protein-rich food ingredients and high-value oils