Shift to new agtech centre

Burnett Mary Regional Group makes ready to shift to Bundaberg region’s exciting new collaborative agtech hub.

HINKLER AGTECH: Bundaberg Regional Council Mayor Jack Dempsey and BMRG CEO Sheila Charlesworth discuss Burnett Mary Regional Group's move to the regions new ag tech facility at Bargara. Picture: Contributed

The Burnett Mary Regional Group team is excited to announce that they will be moving into the Bargara Ag Tech Facility in July.

The facility, located at Council’s old administration centre in Hughes Rd, is a commitment under the Hinkler Regional Deal and provides an opportunity for entrepreneurs, innovators and researchers in agricultural technology (Ag Tech) to be co-located in one area.

BMRG is the region’s peak natural resource management body and manages various programs aimed at driving greater innovation and productivity within our agricultural sector.

BMRG’s CEO Sheila Charlesworth confirmed that the group will be taking up a long-term lease within the facility, saying that the group’s move was timely and supported its commitment to building our region’s Ag Tech capabilities.

“The Burnett Mary region is Australia’s richest and most diverse agricultural region”, Sheila said.

“Our agricultural sector generates significant economic activity and employment and continues to be supported by an array of service industries, research providers and industry advocacy groups.

“BMRG already collaborates with many of these organisations and our integration within the Ag Tech Facility will enable us to work with an even broader range of agricultural innovators and researchers from across Australia and overseas.”

Sheila said the Ag Tech Facility also provided excellent functionality and new opportunities to host community events.

“Our team hosts an array of workshops and information sessions with our various partners and the range of conference rooms and breakout areas within the facility will be ideal for these events,” she said.

BMRG will be joining other Ag Tech enterprises and tenants of the facility in forming a consortium to manage the future direction of the facility.

The BMRG team is looking forward to their move and contributing to Bundaberg becoming a national centre of excellence in agtech.

AUSTRALIAN TECH

Innovation in Australian agriculture is not a new phenomenon.

From John Ridley’s world-first mechanical grain harvester (1843) and Frederick Wolsely’s mechanical shearing clippers (1877) to James Alston’s patented circular windmill with curved sails (1884), Australian farmers have long been among the most innovative in the world.

So, why all the publicity around “agtech” and its implications for the future of regional Australia?

Agtech refers to the development and implementation of technologies along the entire agricultural value chain.

The term does not just refer to robotics and drones but also encompasses integrated farming systems, digital software tools and plant and animal science.

The unprecedented, rapid emergence of new technologies in these areas and their relevance to regional Australia are being driven by several key factors.

Firstly, new technologies are becoming cheaper and more accessible. For example, satellite mapping applications, off-the-shelf sensors, genome sequencing data and ‘cloud’ computing capacity are now readily available to end-users. Innovators no longer require financial backing from large companies to take their ideas from conception to market.

With greater access to new technologies, producers and end-users throughout rural and regional Australia will continue to play a greater role in agtech by catalysing development of innovative solutions that address real, on-the-ground challenges.

Secondly, Australian agriculture is big business! Together with the National Farmers Federation, the Australian Government is targeting the nation’s agricultural sector to be worth $100 billion by 2030.

World-class innovation and development of new technologies will be essential to drive the transformational productivity gains required to meet this target.

Investors are attracted to lucrative markets and entrepreneurs are attracted to new opportunities. New opportunities mean new skills and new skills mean new jobs. The new jobs arising from Australian agtech developments will be chiefly in our rural and regional communities.

The establishment of regional agtech research and development facilities will further ensure that these communities become the backbone of the national agtech ecosystem as they influence the direction and priorities for agricultural innovation.

Finally, consumers are better informed and more interested in the provenance of agricultural commodities.

GLOBAL REACH

Globally, there is growing demand for Australian food and fibre products because of our reputation for reliable, safe and green agricultural practices.

This reputation has attracted key export partners with rising middle classes, such as India and China, to our products. Their consumers now have more options to satisfy their preferences and greater means to pay for high-end agricultural products.

Australia must stay ahead of the game if we are to maintain these markets.

Greater co-ordination of agtech research and sharing of data across the innovation value chain is needed to drive increased efficiency and quality and maintain our international market position.

The implementation of virtual supply chains will also improve transparency and enhance the consumer experience.

Given these exciting opportunities facing our agricultural sector, Ag Tech will continue to emerge as a sub-industry, creating new businesses, new jobs and new social value for rural and regional communities throughout Australia.