Australian
Government Research Priorities
National
and Rural Research Priorities
The Australian Government
has announced a series of National and Rural Research Priorities. The following
section lists these priorities and indicates how RIRDC will meet them over
the next year. Where the priorities cover the same general area, they are
reported together.
National:
An environmentally sustainable Australia
Rural:
Sustainable natural resource management
RIRDC now has a Sustainable
Systems Program that brings together its role in supporting R&D for
agroforestry, environmental and farm management. rangeland and wildlife
systems and organic systems. However environmental sustainability is an
issue for all of its industry sub-programs.
The Joint Venture Agroforestry
Program (JVAP), managed by RIRDC on behalf of a range of funding partners,
has the guiding objective of integrating sustainable and productive agroforestry
within Australian farming systems. Its strategies align with the Government’s
national priorities of overcoming salinity and promoting the sustainable
use of Australia’s biodiversity and the rural priority of better linking
investment in R&D with the Government’s major natural resource management
(NRM) objectives.
JVAP strategies for 2005–06
that will contribute to the Government’s priorities include:
-
continuing a lead role in managing
the FloraSearch project and the Australian Low Rainfall Tree Improvement
Group (ALRTIG) – focussing on selection and development of native trees
and shrubs for new industries and sustainable farming systems in lower
rainfall areas
-
investigating the interaction
between trees and soil salinity, surface and groundwater flow systems,
and devising improved agricultural systems incorporating woody perennials
to manage these issues
-
continuing to assess the feasibility
of phase farming with trees in low to medium rainfall areas to meet environmental
(salinity/soil ecology) and economic objectives
-
managing a key project which
investigates and tests markets for ecosystem services in case study regions
-
evaluating the role of farm
trees and plantations in enhancing biodiversity
With respect to the requirement
of improving the delivery of science and information to support a regionally
driven approach to NRM, the JVAP will assess individual and institutional
capacity to utilise the JVAP research results. In particular this will
focus on the Design Guideline series and agroforestry manuals. The aim
is to develop an effective knowledge brokering strategy to increase delivery
of JVAP and related agroforestry research to landholders, natural resources
staff and farm forestry investors
The rice Sub-program works
closely with the Rice Growers Association (RGA) to provide research support
for its innovative Environmental Champions program. This Environmental
Champions program has been acknowledged widely as one of the most progressive
for an Australian industry. This has recently been acknowledged by the
Government which has awarded funding for the second stage under its EMS
program.
The CRC for Sustainable Rice
Production Systems, of which the RIRDC program was a major contributor,
wound up operations at June 30, 2005. However, the results of research
on issues such as predicting soil suitability, integrated management strategies
for regional and local ground water management and water quality management
are still being adapted for use in the industry. These results and results
of other RIRDC funded rice projects are being incorporated within the technology
extension program, which is funded largely through the RIRDC program. Unfortunately,
the substantial impact of the drought on R&D funds has and will mean
that the support for these activities will be significantly reduced, this
is likely to mean their implementation will be much slower than it could
have been.
The innovativeness of these
rice research activities continues to be recognised internationally through
the Murrumbidgee catchment being nominated as the initial reference catchment
for UNESCO’s Hydrology Environment Life Policy (HELP) program. This continues
to be the only catchment in the world to be given this highest recognition
of a model for effective integration of science and policy change to improve
the sustainability of resource use.
RIRDC’s new Environment and
Farm Management Sub-program sponsors research and development into ways
that farm-based agribusiness systems can be made both sustainable and more
profitable. In 2005–06 the program will:
-
support investigations into
practical solutions to cross- sectoral problems affecting sustainability
-
identifying legal, financial
and administrative incentives for more efficient resource use
-
supporting the development of
clear protocols, guidelines and accreditation processes for green food
marketing
RIRDC’s Rangelands and
Wildlife Systems Sub-program will contribute to the priority area of designing
farming, fisheries and forestry systems which are more attuned to natural
processes. In 2005–06 it will:
-
identify ways of maintaining
profitability of rangelands use while assuring that production techniques
are sustainable and environmentally friendly
-
support trials of sustainable
wildlife enterprises such as commercial utilisation of free-ranging wild
animals, plants and wildlife- based tourism as agents of biodiversity conservation
and landscape rehabilitation.
-
facilitate sharing of experiences
and opportunities for collaboration between sustainable wildlife enterprise
trials and related NRM programs
-
explore marketing strategies
for produce from wildlife enterprises that lead to a net conservation gain
and integrate performance management frameworks such as environmental management
systems (EMS)
The Organic Systems Sub-program
has strategies that will:
-
improve understanding of the
role of organic farming systems in environmental management
-
facilitate innovative organic
system design to suit unique Australian ecosystems
-
improve understanding and adoption
of best practice organic farming techniques, particularly in relation to
soil management, plant and animal nutrition, and pest and disease control
-
The Chicken Meat Sub-program
will continue to evaluate strategies that minimise the impact of industry
practices on the environment and the industry’s neighbours, in particular
by investigating options for minimising odour emissions from chicken meat
production facilities.
Work in both the native
food plants, part of the New Plant Products Program, and in the Wildflowers
and Native Plants Sub-Program, is aimed at developing agricultural systems
which use species that come from the Australian environment and therefore
are better adapted. New species of food crops and flower crops have been
produced and are under development in many parts of Australia with environmental
friendliness as a central aim. As well in the New Plant Products Sub-program
introduced species capable of dealing with Australia’s saline, sodic and
arid soils are under development ranging from spice foods such as capers
to new oil seed crops in Western Australia developed from arid crops in
Ethiopia and the Sudan.
The Fodder Sub-program is developing
strategies for integration of new fodder species into sustainable cropping
systems and the Pasture Seeds Sub-program will research technologies for
improved water balance and quality in lucerne seed production.
National:
Frontier technologies for building and transforming Australian industries
Rural:
Use of frontier technologies
RIRDC’s strategies recognise
the importance to Australia’s global competitiveness of innovation and
the development of new technologies and products.
Proposed research strategies
relating to new technologies and products include:
-
continued refinements to NIR
technologies to support effective management of fertiliser use in rice
crops
-
improving rice breeding through
biotechnology
-
developing technologies to more
rapidly detect toxins in export and domestic hay
-
integrated agri-aquaculture
demonstration showing how a commercial cotton and grain farm on the Darling
Downs can use aquaculture to maximise the commercial value of its irrigation
water
-
electrical root mapping which
establishes relationships between electric field intensity, root position
and root length density, using high frequency electrical measurements.
This will help to understand ‘deep rootedness’ which is important in water
management and drought tolerance
-
utilising NIRS and DNA technologies
to manage rangeland sustainability using frontier technology to understand
the diet of rangeland animals. A new tool to optimise production will be
tested while simultaneously maintaining environmental sustainability (and
species biodiversity) of the rangelands
-
diversity in piped systems to
evaluate four different water access design structures for native fauna
to identify which design achieves the best environmental outcomes, from
a biodiversity perspective.
Rural: Creating an innovative
culture
RIRDC is committed through
all its programs to developing the skills and ability of the people in
the industries that it covers as well as those of the relevant scientific
community. It also places very high priority on promoting the adoption
of new technologies and knowledge including through commercialisation of
intellectual property, where relevant.
The Cooperative Venture for
Human Capacity Building for Innovation in Rural Industries which RIRDC
manages on behalf of a number of RDC partners will:
-
enhance the capacity of stakeholders
in Australian rural industries to change, learn and innovate through identification
and promotion of ‘good practice’ in capacity building activities
-
enhance the capacity of government,
industry, research, community and other groups to contribute to
improved performance of capacity building systems in Australian rural industries
through improved understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of current
providers and their requirements to improve efficiency and effectiveness
-
enhance the capacity of rural
educators to deliver capacity building outcomes
National:
Promoting and maintaining good health
Rural: Improving Competitiveness
through a Whole of Industry Approach
The priorities of diversification,
promoting a whole of industry approach and researching the value chain
are central to the strategies of RIRDC’s industry programs.
Proposed research strategies
that will address these priorities include:
-
testing the viability of producing
a range of new crops including stevia, cocoa, capers, new oil seeds from
Western Australia , saffron, prunus mume, edamame, wasabi and taro
-
undertaking feasibility studies
in at least two new animal species and initiating production research in
at least two gamebirds
-
researching methods of marketing
and promotion that can expand the market for Asian vegetables
-
identifying means of increasing
investment in the mohair industry
-
commercialising the outputs
from the Leptospermum hybrid development program
-
investigating market development
opportunities for venison and velvet
-
assessing the adoption of supply
chain management strategies by the wildflower industry
With respect to the promotion
of quality as a key competitive factor, the New Animal Products Sub-program
will develop a manual for quality control in a least one new animal industry
and the Essential Oils and Plant Extracts Sub-program will continue work
on quality assurance protocols to minimise pesticide residues in essential
oils.
Rural:
Maintaining and improving confidence in the integrity of Australian agricultural,
food, fish and forestry products
RIRDC programs address this
issue through supporting research in such areas as managing food-borne
hazards associated with pathogens, agri-chemical residues and contaminants.
In 2005–06 the Chicken Meat
Sub-program will:
-
complete a baseline survey,
across several processing plants, to illustrate the impact of key processing
plant critical control points on Salmonella and Campylobacter
levels on product
-
develop relevant training and
educational programs to assist industry to implement food safety programs
-
initiate the development of
Campylobacter
typing methods capable of differentiating strains that are of human concern
from those that pose little or no risk to humans
-
investigate practical processing
plant intervention strategies for reducing contamination of chicken meat
products by food borne pathogens
-
develop an improved understanding
of the epidemiology of antibiotic resistance of Salmonella involved
in chicken meat production
Relevant research projects
in other programs will include:
-
further investigation of the
antimicrobial properties of honey
-
identifying specific R&D
priorities for studies into safety aspects of tea tree oil
-
researching the anti-cancer
properties of Asian crucifers
RIRDC has a Farm Health
and Safety Program which it manages on behalf of a number of funding partners.
The program’s mission is to coordinate and support R&D to develop,
implement, monitor and evaluate safe systems of work on farms across all
rural industries. Proposed projects include:
-
developing OH&S training
initiatives for farmers to train others
-
undertaking a longitudinal study
of Farm OH&S
-
RIRDC’s new Food Integrity and
Biosecurity Sub-program has research strategies focused on integrating
human and environmental health objectives and enhancing the capacity to
ensure food integrity.
Rural:
Improved trade and market access
RIRDC’s Global Competitiveness
Sub-program supports research on ways of removing impediments to the development
of a global competitive Australian sector.
In 2005–06 the program will
analyse trade policy reform associated with: evaluation of the implications
for Australian agriculture of a range of negotiation round proposals; proposed
special safeguard provisions; the implication of China’s entry into the
WTO and reform negotiations; and improved consistency in modelling databases
for Australian analysis. The program will also analyse trends in world
agriculture to 2030 and the implications for Australia.
National:
Safeguarding Australia
Rural:
Protecting Australia from invasive diseases and pests
This is a priority for a
number of RIRDC programs. In 2005–06 the Chicken Meat Sub-program will:
-
continue to develop improved
disease prevention, management and diagnostic techniques in the poultry
industry for economically important existing and emerging endemic diseases
and for emergency diseases
-
explore novel approaches for
the control of key insect pests of poultry sheds and bacterial pathogens
of meat chicken flocks
Strategies in other programs
include:
-
developing and communicating
integrated pest management strategies for diseases and pests of Asian vegetables
-
developing improved treatment
options for European foulbrood disease in bees
-
In addition, the Food Integrity
and Biosecurity Program includes a strategy to investigate potential biosecurity
risks to Australia.
Other initiatives include:
-
investigating the role of digital
multimedia in rural development and agricultural education
-
facilitating rural adjustment
through innovative communication technology
-
mapping skills and exploring
managerial expertise in rural industries and communities
-
investigating social and demographic
issues in rural communities
-
continuing to support the RIRDC
Rural Women’s Award
-
providing continuing support
for the Australian Centre for Intellectual Property in Agriculture
-
awarding three postgraduate
scholarships
-
support for several participants
in the Australian Rural Leadership Program and Nuffield Scholarship scheme.
