The evolution of agricultural advocacy

In 2021, the National Farmers’ Federation commissioned the Australian Farm Institute to map a strategic path for Australian agricultural industry representation, to assess whether the operation of agricultural advocacy is ‘fit for purpose’ in a policy and social landscape very different to that of past decades. This project addressed the core question of whether stakeholders in the ecosystem understand the purpose of Australian agricultural advocacy. The answer, largely, is ‘not particularly well’. Australian agriculture holds an immense store of social and human capital, yet these capital stocks are not being used to their full potential to advocate. The environment in which advocacy operates today has changed significantly, and will continue to change. Agricultural advocacy must not only adapt to these changes to remain relevant and effective, but endeavour to thrive rather than just survive. The fundamental point consistently reinforced throughout this research was that meaningful growth must come from the ground up, not the top down. This research can assist organisations to assess their own positions, but change must be driven by the people who are part of the greater advocacy ecosystem. This project does not seek to impose new organisational systems, but instead proposes a systemic, consistent approach to building capacity across agricultural advocacy for critical review, change management and a more efficacious, sustainable use of resources. To adapt effectively, agricultural advocates will need to embrace the concept of systems thinking, e.g., recognising responsibility, sometimes via well-intentioned contributions to the issue, and challenging mental models to identify points of intervention and change.