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Portfolio Budget Framework

National Rural Issues

Programs

• Agroforestry and Farm Forestry
• Environment and Farm Management
• Rangeland and Wildlife Systems
• Organic Systems
• Global Competitiveness
• Food Integrity and Biosecurity
• Human Capital, Communications and Information Systems

NATIONAL RURAL ISSUES  — enhancing the profitability, competitiveness and sustainability of rural industries and communities

Outcome
To facilitate a more profitable, dynamic and sustainable rural sector

Goals:
Improve the competitiveness and
sustainability of Australian agriculture Underpin innovation and change in Australian agriculture

Outputs
To enhance efficiency and sustainability of agriculture by research into multiple products, land management and environmental options to improve profitability while safeguarding future agricultural production potential

To build a broader comprehension of farm and regional community opportunities and human capacity for change, learning and innovation in Australian agriculture

Expenditure
 2005–06: $7.8m
2004–05: $7.1m

General Manager
Dr Caroline Lemerle
Ph: 02 6272 4033

Research Managers in 2006–07
Dr Caroline Lemerle
Global Competitiveness Organic Systems Ph: 02 6272 4033 Em: caroline.lemerle@rirdc.gov.au

Dr Rosemary Lott
Agroforestry and Farm Forestry Ph: 02 6271 6671 Em: rosemary.lott@rirdc.gov.au

Dr George Wilson
Environment and Farm Management Rangeland and Wildlife Systems Ph: 08 8556 7331 Em: georgewilson@awt.com.au

Denise Millar
Organic Systems Ph: 03 9859 7249 Em: denise.millar@bigpond.com

Jane Fisher
Human Capital, Communications and Information Systems Food Integrity and Biosecurity Ph: 02 6271 6498 Em: jane.fisher@rirdc.gov.au

Cross-cutting issues
Programs in the National Rural Issues Portfolio invest in R&D for issues affecting multi-industries and national interest rural issues to enhance the profitability, competitiveness and sustainability of rural industries and communities.
These investments in R&D support the rural policy priorities of government, the priorities of rural industries and communities, and topics that are cross-cutting and small or diffuse – but big in aggregate.

Diverse research programs
The Portfolio currently spans ten areas of R&D activity—agroforestry, capacity building, communications and information systems, environment and farm management, farm health and safety, food integrity and biosecurity, global competitiveness, leadership (including rural women) and scholarships, organic systems, rangelands and wildlife.

Funding
The Portfolio is funded from core funds and collaborative activities with other Research and Development Corporations and various industry stakeholders.

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Agroforestry and Farm Forestry
Research Manager for 2005–06 - Dr Rosemary Lott
Phone: 02 6271 6671
Fax: 02 6272 5877
Email: rosemary.lott@rirdc.gov.au

Objective
To integrate sustainable and productive agroforestry within Australian farming systems.

Research expenditure
2005–06: $1,875,199 2004–05: $1,443,562

Key performance indicators

• number of viable commercial options underpinning an expansion of agroforestry
• availability of farm and catchment design information providing clearer guidance on the placement of trees in the landscape to manage groundwater
• availability of information to farmers allowing them to quantify and predict the impact of trees on their farming systems
• extent of systematic information available on financially viable species and provenances for agroforestry systems and products
• availability and uptake of design options and decision-making tools
• JVAP products are widely available and used by agroforestry advisers and forest growers

Background
This Program comprises two cooperative activities managed by RIRDC:

• The Joint Venture Agroforestry Program (JVAP) development of profitable agroforestry industries while delivering beneficial natural resource outcomes. Core partners are:

Forest and Wood Products Research and Development Corporation

Land & Water Australia

 Rural Industries Research and Development CorporationFunding for JVAP is also provided for some activities by the Natural Heritage Trust, the Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, the Department of Environment and Heritage Australian Greenhouse Office.

• Bioenergy Australia – which fosters and facilitates the development of biomass for energy, liquid fuels and chemical feedstocks.

Research and development into agroforestry can help reduce risk by improving tree management practices, by quantifying land, water, biodiversity and social responses to agroforestry systems, by developing new products from trees in low to medium rainfall areas, by addressing landholder decision-making needs (economic and management), and by enhancing landholder knowledge and capacity to farm trees.

The JVAP has identified three main areas to achieve industry investment, development and sustainable natural resource management. They are:

• Products – develop new commercial products and value-add existing products to promote profitable agroforestry industries
• Product-market linkages – analyse markets for product suitability, value and regional development options
• Agricultural systems design, analysis and integration – improve agroforestry design at the paddock, farm and landscape scale, i.e. demonstrate mechanisms for valuation and trading of ecosystem services, and investigation of policy and institutional arrangements which stimulate agroforestry investment

Complementing these research priorities, JVAP will emphasise information delivery and national coordination of agroforestry research.

Key long term strategies

• identify new products and production systems from woody perennials, particularly for broadscale planting in low to medium rainfall zones to address dryland salinity and manage landscape hydrology
• identify value-adding methodologies and improved production and harvest efficiencies for existing products to promote investment in commercial agroforestry ventures
• define the nature, quantity and impacts of environmental services provided by agroforestry, and demonstrate mechanisms for valuation and trading of ecosystem services
• coordinatea regional assessment and prioritisation  catchments suitable for significant expansion agroforestry to address economic, social and environmental targets. Include consideration of regional fit for different products, competitiveness, landscape hydrology, and socio-economic evaluation on a regional basis assess existing and potential volume and continuity of product supply from agroforestry and farm forestry, and planning and marketing needs
• address landholder and investor decision-making needs in developing cost-effective multi-purpose agroforestry systems to meet commercial and environmental objectives, including whole-farm economics, farm forestry design options, and decision-making tools

Key outputs

• demonstrated that phase farming trees can draw down saline water to 4.5–6 metres below the surface – i.e. well below the cropping zone
• demonstrated that eucalypts specifically bred for salt-tolerance and fast growth can be sustainable and, in certain situations, can be managed to promote salt re-distribution down the soil profile
• tested timber from fast-grown low rainfall species for durability and termite resistance  demonstrated that incorporating shrubs in young plantations will improve use by wildlife  continued measures of agricultural and tree crops to evaluate economics of woody perennial fodder, alley belt and other agroforestry systems
• produced guidelines and principles for regions designing market-based trading of ecosystem services
• funded FloraSearch and a new collaborative fodder project (JVAP, CRC, MLA and AWI) to test and improve the 20 most prospective species for fodder, biomass and other commercial applications for low to medium rainfall zones
• identified secondary compounds derived from cineole using microbes suitable for evaluation for industrial uses
• developed and tested a modified drum chipper built for mallee harvester
• produced research on the sustainability of private native forestry
• identified and developed strategic agroforestry industry evaluation and communication projects

Communication and capacity building:

• delivered several Master TreeGrower courses
• held regional landholder workshops on sustainable management of harvested private native forests
• published JVAP reports, and presented research at international and national conferences
• continued work on FARM Forestry Toolbox upgrade

Bioenergy Australia

• sponsored the Bioenergy Australia Annual Conference, held in Melbourne in December, attended by 200 delegates. The conference covered the whole spectrum of bioenergy, and integrated the International Energy Agency’s Task on energy from municipal solid waste into the programfs

Publications in 2005–06
06/039  The Joint Venture Agroforestry Program R&D Plan 2004-2009
06/030  Multipurpose Grazing Systems Using Perennial Woody Species – Report of workshop held 8-9 December 2004
05/199  Water Balance and Economics of Irrigated Eucalypts in Areas with Shallow Saline Groundwater
05/165  Biodiversity in Eucalypt Planting Established to Reduce Salinity
05/129  Alley Farming for Improved Water Management and Nutrient Cycling
05/087  Reforestation in the Tropics and Subtropics of Australia Using Rainforest Tree Species
05/063  Agroforestry and Farm Forestry Research in Progress
04/186  Developing Genetically Adapted Tree Varieties for Marginal Areas of Northern Australia
04/133  Participation in IEA Bioenergy Short Rotation Crops for Bioenergy Systems Task –  JVAP Partnership Program Brochure 2006

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Environment and Farm Management
Research Manager for _005–06 Dr George Wilson
Phone: 0418 236 575 Fax: 02 6272 5877 Email: georgewilson@awt.com.au

Objective
To support innovation in agriculture and the use of frontier technology to meet market demands for accredited sustainable production.

Research expenditure
2005–06: $594,312 2004–05: $663,912

Key performance indicators

• adoption of practical solutions across industry sectors that address environment and farm management problems affecting sustainability
• incorporation into farm systems of innovative and productive frontier technologies
• multiple resource use across industry sectors and reduction in resource waste
• market demand for the adoption of environment management systems (EMS) and subsequent implementation on farms as a management tool

Background
The Environment and Farm Management  Program development into ways that farm-based agribusiness systems can be made both sustainable and more profitable. RIRDC research into Environment Management Systems (EMS) in agriculture is to identify and manage environment impacts and improve production efficiencies. Producers and landholders who adopt EMS can benefit from improved resource use efficiency. However, the pathway to marketplace benefits are less clear, and the likelihood of both the producer and consumer being confused by the number and complexity of the schemes is growing. A number of quality assurance, best management and environmental certification schemes are emerging.

RIRDC supports research for innovative commercial opportunities, particularly those involving converting liabilities into assets. This program focusses on issues crossing some primary production sectors and operates in the context of trends such as:

• declining water quality and quantity, increasing soil salinity, acidification and degradation, declining air quality, loss of biodiversity and climate change
• declining terms of trade for many rural products and pressures to reduce costs and increasing productivity
• pressure on the economic, ecological and social fabric of rural and regional communities, and the physical and environmental limits of Australia’s natural resources to produce more – particularly in drought
• adoption of resource conserving technologies including precision farming and information management
• the need to be less production driven and more market driven
• increased globalisation and the growing power of transnational companies, especially in food industry, research, processing and marketing
• lower numbers of mainstream commercial farms, increasing farm size, and a rise in the number of part-time farmers

Key long term strategies
On farm EMS and regional outcomes

• in conjunction with Government-sponsored programs such as the Market-based instruments program, the EMS Pilots and Pathways Program, support research aspects of ways of better integrating on farm EMS with the national NRM agenda, including catchment and regional planning processes, monitoring and evaluation, and capacity building
• environmental accreditation and labelling
• outlining the attributes of a national system of uniform environment/ ecolabelling, including a tiered implementation scheme and supporting farm management systems
• clarifying mechanisms for linking EMS and supply chain management, quality assurance, industry strategic planning and related programs

Frontier technologies

• supporting the development of innovative food, fibre structures for native fauna to determine which design and bioenergy production based on application of new achieves the best biodiversity outcomes technologies

Key outputs establish relationships between electric field intensity,

• developed technologies showing how to maintain biodiversity in a piped water supply system; to map roots electronically; to utilise Near Infrared (NIRS) and DNA technologies to manage rangeland sustainability evaluated four different water access design structures for native fauna to determine which design achieves the best biodiversity outcomes
• funded research into electrical root mapping to establish relationships between electric field intensity, root position and root length density, using highfrequency electrical measurements. The project is helping understand deep rootedness, which is important in water management and drought tolerance

Publication in 2005–06
05/157 Developing a National Certification Process for Environmental Management in Australian Agriculture

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Rangeland and Wildlife Systems
Research Manager for 2005–06 - Dr George Wilson
Phone: 0418 236 575
Fax: 02 6272 5877
Email: georgewilson@awt.com.au

Objective
To facilitate a more diverse rural sector, enhanced biodiversity and innovative industries based on non-traditional uses of the rangelands and their wildlife.

Research expenditure
2005–06: $476,525
2004–05: $364,014

Key performance indicators

• establishment of successful collaborative decision-making framework between landholders   – (Wildlife Management Conservancies (WMCs) – to progress their sustainable wildlife enterprises and aspirations
• identification of enterprise options and potential sources of funding and support to develop the WMC's component projects
• establishment of financial and strategic partnerships with existing wildlife resource industries, philanthropic conservation organisations and others to underpin the WMCs
• development of property management planning and accreditation processes that enable easy visualisation of complex data management and attainment of standards

Background
The drought in Australia has seriously reduced livestock carrying capacity on the  rangelands and has contributed to biodiversity loss and environment damage. RIRDC’s Rangeland and Wildlife Systems (RWS) Program focusses on trialling wildlife- based options on the rangelands. In 2005, with financial support from the Australian Government’s National Landcare Program, two trials commenced to test the option of giving landholders both greater responsibility for wildlife and the opportunity to benefit financially from conservation activities. The trials give effect to the recommendations of the 1998 Senate inquiry into the commercial use of native Australian wildlife. The first two trials are being undertaken in proposed Wildlife Management Conservancies (WMCs) known as the Barkindji WMC located on the Murray River near Mildura, New South Wales, and the Maranoa WMC in the Maranoa-Balonne catchment near Roma, south-west Queensland. The desired outcome is

• increased wild resources being conserved and restored, and biodiversity enhanced.

Key long term strategies

• determine if commercial utilisation of wildlife (whether consumptive or non-consumptive) enhances biodiversity, ongoing ecosystem services, reduces land degradation, improves farm viability and leads to broader social and economic community benefits
• integrate conventional agriculture production, tourism and sustainable commercial use of wildlife
• identify how agricultural rangelands should respond to climate change – threats and opportunities

Key outputs

• established Wildlife Management Conservancies (WMCs) at Mildura and Mitchell (Qld) as part of the Sustainable Wildlife Enterprise (SWE) trials
• identified options and support system to develop the WMC projects
• prepared schedules and costs for conservation works, habitat improvement and trialled new technology to trace wildlife products and maintain high quality
• reviewed South African wildlife auction system and ownership issues
• promoted SWE opportunities in journals such as Australian Farm Journal
• identified opportunities for tourism on agricultural land through mammal reintroductions
• utilised NIRS and DNA technologies to manage rangeland sustainability

Publications in 2005–06
05/156  Implementation of Sustainable Wildlife Enterprise Trials – Integrating biodiversity and wildlife into agricultural production systems
05/149  Private Sector Conservation Enterprises
05/106  A Strategic Plan for Trialling Sustainable Wildlife Enterprises
04/168  Market Orientated Environmental Certification for Rangeland Industries
04/167  Market Research Report

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Organic Systems
Research Manager for _005–06
03 9882 5910
02 6272 5877
Email: denise.millar@bigpond.com

Objective
Research and development to facilitate the organic industry’s capacity to meet rapidly increasing global demand.

Research expenditure
2005–06: $262,047
2004–05: $184,986

Key performance indicators

• increase in both new and total certified growers
• broader range of product
• increased product quality, meeting the demands of consumers in terms of availability and appearance
• increased adoption of new/modified organic practices in both organic and mainstream farming systems
• demonstrated evidence of improved soil health
• increased yields

Publications in _005–06
06/061 Export Potential for Organics – Opportunities and barriers
Short Report 06/141 Export Potential for Organics – Opportunities and barriers
05/118 Production of Organic Vegetable Seeds and Seedlings
05/117 Organic Sugar – End-user support and grower perceptions
05/084 Should I Convert to Organic Farming? Information to Support Your Decision
05/066 Organics Research in Progress

Background
Organic products are the fastest growing food sector worldwide. Growth of new farms, products and consumers has been steadily increasing over the last 20 years. In the last 10 years the rate of growth has consistently increased in all of the advanced economies. Market analysts forecast annual growth rates between 10% and 20% around the world. The United States Department of Agriculture expects the organic industry to be worth US$100 billion by 2010 in America, Europe and Japan. Major international food corporations are developing organic product lines.

The Australian organic sector is worth between $250–$400 million per annum at retail level and demand outstrips supply. Domestic production is increasing at between 6–15% a year and consumption is growing at between 25–40% – the balance is imported. Australia is one of the world’s leading grain exporters but organic grain is imported to meet the shortfall in production. Rising domestic and overseas demand for Australian organic products is prompting more conventional farmers and processors to consider and adopt organic systems.

Key long term strategies

• increase productivity and improve product quality and consistency of supply.
• increase knowledge of the role of soil in organic production systems and improve the methods for protection of plants and animals against pests and diseases in organic production systems
• address supply chain constraints, including the development of robust supply chains for organic products, technical barriers to market access and food safety risk management
• communicate the scientific case for organics
• facilitate the adoption of organic best practice
• ensure effective organic supply chains

Key outputs

• developed a new five-year plan based on extensive consultation
• sponsored the 15th IFOAM Congress showcasing the Australian organic industry to an international audience
• published Export potential for organics – Opportunities and barriers, the first publication in Australia assessing export market opportunities for Australian organic products
• reported on organic conversion opportunities for growers interested in organic production systems in north-eastern Western Australia. Focus was on conversion of an established mango orchard, but other potential crops were also explored.  Production guidelines for organic mangoes were produced.
• cooperated with the Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Industry Partnership Program to facilitate a restructure of the organic Industry’s peak body – the Organic Federation of Australia (OFA)

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Global Competitiveness
Research Manager for 2005–06 - Dr Caroline Lemerle
Phone: 02 6272 4033
Fax: 02 6272 5877
Email: caroline.lemerle@rirdc.gov.au

Objective
To identify important impediments to the development of a globally competitive Australian agricultural sector and support research that will lead to options and strategies to remove these impediments.

Research expenditure
2005–06: $359,524
2004–05: $655,617

Key performance indicators

• improvement in export activities by the agricultural sector and associated enterprises
• change in national and international policies influencing the competitiveness of the agricultural sector
• achievement of average benefit/ cost ratios of 10 and/or internal rates of return greater than 25% of R&D projects
• use of R&D current research by stakeholders

Background
International trade liberalisation and the general globalisation of the world economy  during the past two decades has meant that all countries have had to focus attention on ensuring that their industries are globally competitive. Many studies have been conducted which highlight the substantial benefits to the world that can be gained from this liberalisation process. Some of these studies have shown that the Australian agricultural sector in particular stands to gain billions of dollars in welfare gains from this process.

While the evidence for these longer term gains is clear, the processes involved in achieving them can often be complex and difficult to understand. They will, in many cases, present challenges that many businesses and community groups are not familiar with. They also require access to information and business institutional arrangements and practices, which many businesses have not been accustomed to in the past.

RIRDC believes that research can provide improved understanding in many areas that will support the process of change and ensure that the benefits from it are maximised and the difficulties associated with the change minimised. We believe that the nature of much of the research related to understanding the processes for these changes has public good characteristics and therefore will not necessarily be undertaken if left to the private sector.

Key long term strategies

• identify new opportunities in the marketplace
• support research into a more globally focussed competitive food sector
• focus on domestic impediments to industry performance, to enhance exports and an export culture, especially in industries which have previously been operating domestically
• develop options and strategies improving global competitiveness for the agricultural sector through the refinement of trade policies and the removal of trade barriers
• develop a better understanding of domestic and international markets for agricultural products when there is a clearly established market failure in the provision of such information
• support analyses of the linkages between various stages in the producer to consumer chain and identify areas – regionally, domestically and internationally
• – where these linkages can be better integrated and their efficiency improved
• evaluate other existing and alternative policies and institutions affecting the development of a globally competitive agricultural sector

Key Outputs

• consolidated research on free trade agreements
• launched the publication Free Trade Agreements – Making them better
• facilitated the translation of the publication Agricultural Trade Agreements Made Easy into Spanish and Portuguese to be used in international trade negotiations
• co-sponsored a workshop with the Australian Government Departments of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, and Foreign Affairs and Trade on Free Trade Agreements
• published three reports on structural adjustment
• Rural Industry Adjustment to Trade Related Policy Reform
• Industry Adjustment to Policy Reform – A case study in the Australian dairy industry
• Coping with change – Farm level adjustment and policy reform (Short Report)
• provided input to the Productivity Commission’s review of freight issues with the report Farm to port logistics chain: road and rail neutrality and efficiency
• contributed to an expert group’s report on liberalising world agricultural trade
• completed an analysis of the effect of technical requirements on trade in agricultural products
• published research on Economic Effects on Income Tax Law in Investments in Australian Agriculture
• published Unlocking Successful New Industries – Is supply chain management the key?
• Sponsored the AARES Conference 2005

Publications in 2005–06
Short Report 06/140  Coping with Change – Farm level adjustment and policy reform
05/173  Rural Industry Adjustment to Trade Related Policy Reform
05/162  Agricultural Trade Policy Made Easy (La Politica de comercio agricola en terminos sencillos) – Spanish translation
05/161  Agricultural Trade Policy Made Easy (O ABC Da Politica Comercial Agricola) – Portuguese translation
05/139  Unlocking Successful New Rural Industries – Is supply chain management the key?
05/110  Industry Adjustment to Policy Reform – A case study of the Australian dairy industry
05/078  Economic Effects of Income-Tax Law on Investments in Australian Agriculture
05/075  Global Competitiveness Research in Progress 2004–05
05/035  Free Trade Areas Agreements – Making them better
Short Report  Free Trade Agreements – Making them better

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Food Integrity and Biosecurity
Research Manager for _005–06 Jane Fisher
Phone:  02 6271 6498
Fax:  02 6272 5877
Email:  jane.fisher@rirdc.gov.au

Objective
To assist in enhancing Australia’s food integrity and biosecurity.

Research expenditure
2005–06: $268,235 2004–05: $131,313

Background
Safety and health are becoming increasing priorities for food consumers, both domestically and in the markets of our trading partners. Food integrity applies to all aspects of the supply chain and relates to systems within the chain that support the acceptance of Australian food by consumers. ‘Biosecurity’ describes mechanisms intended to protect a country, state or farm from the entry and spread of unwanted pests, diseases, weeds and animals. The increase in tourism travel and trade means that Australia faces an increased risk of introducing exotic pests and diseases. These have the potential to harm agricultural production, and to damage Australia’s international markets. The Food Integrity and Biosecurity Program works in collaboration with other RIRDC

Programs and with non-RIRDC Programs to achieve maximum results for our agricultural industries.

Ensuring food integrity therefore encompasses the biological, chemical and physical aspects of food safety; food production systems, including animal welfare and potential environmental impacts; and food characteristics, including specifications, nutrition and functionality claims. Biosecurity involves assessing the risks posed by invasive diseases and peses, assessing the likelihood of an outbreak, and developing strategies for dealing with and preventing an incursion.

This RIRDC Program will assist this process by supporting research that fills in critical knowledge gaps relating to product integrity and biosecurity across the whole supply chain. The communication challenges are also of high importance and will be directly related to RIRDC’s priorities in this area. The Food Integrity and Biosecurity Program contributes $100,000 to the CRC for Plant Biosecurity, specifically to fund projects related to the biosecurity of new and emerging industries, and directs $40,000 per annum to the Australian Food Safety Centre of Excellence. The Program is reviewing the food integrity and biosecurity landscape, and will refine its research directions to address information gaps that emerge from this analysis.

Key performance indicators

• assist Australia’s rural industries by supporting research that integrates human and environmental health objectives
• undertake research that enhances the capacity of participants in the supply chain to ensure food integrity
• contribute to Australia’s biosecurity by investigating potential risks and how they can be addressed and communicated.

Key outputs

• investigated the potential biosecurity risks through targeted R&D through the CRC for National Plant Biosecurity
• established partnerships to investigate the role of new technologies in ensuring the safety of Australian Food

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Human Capital, Communications and Information Systems
Research Manager for 2005–06
Jane Fisher
Phone: 02 6271 6498
Fax: 02 6272 5877
Email: jane.fisher@rirdc.gov.au

Objective
To enhance human capital and facilitate innovation in rural industries and communities.

Research expenditure
2005–06: $2,008,636
2004–05: $2,035,540

Key performance indicators

• level of use of the internet and other new information and
• communication systems by farmers to improve farm management
• extent of communication between end users (including farmers) and researchers
• number of better-practice guides issued for farm health and safety
• number of new rural leaders trained per year contributing to RIRDC-related industries
• improved industry training and extension opportunities

Background
The HCC Program comprises several smaller programs:

•  The Cooperative Venture for Capacity Building for Innovation in Rural Industries (CVCB) – which instigates and supports learning by farmers and rural communities to be better placed to prosper and grow. The partners are:
• Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
• Australian Wool Innovation
• Cotton Research and Development Corporation
• Dairy Australia
• Grape and Wine Research and Development Corporation
• Horticulture Australia Limited
• Land & Water Australia
• Meat & Livestock Australia
• Murray-Darling Basin Commission
• Sugar Research and Development Corporation
• Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation
• the Joint Research Venture in Farm Health and Safety – which is focussing on the adoption of improved systems for Farm Health and Safety. The partners are:
• Grains Research and Development Corporation
• Meat and Livestock Australia
• Australian Wool Innovation Corporation
• Cotton Research and Development Corporation
• Sugar Research and Development Corporation
• Dairy Australia
• Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation
• the RIRDC research Program on communication and information systems, rural and regional development issues and policies for innovation – which is aimed at the human capital engaged in rural industries driving innovation and change that leads to improved productivity and sustainability. RIRDC seeks to build human capital by providing knowledge and skills information to utilise new production systems and technologies. We provide R&D to improve the educative and delivery processes to underpin these services. Human capital depends on the physical and mental health of individuals as well as their ability to contribute to the community’s wellbeing. Enhanced communication and information systems enable farm managers to access the knowledge and skills required for innovation and change. The Program aims to enhance human capital available to rural industries through research related to social issues in rural communities and households and theprovision of scholarships for rural leadership and postgraduate research.
• the RIRDC Rural Women’s Award – which recognises the vital contribution made by women to rural Australia
• the RIRDC Scholarships program

Key outputs
HCC Core

• published a report and sponsored a workshop on Farm Succession and Inheritance – Comparing Australian and international research
• published a report on trends in diversification on farms and why the decision to diversify is taken by farmers
• published a report on new generation farmers markets in rural communities

Cooperative Venture for Capacity Building for Innovation in Rural Industries (CVCB)

• published a report on improving participation in learning
• published a report on the role of agribusiness in extension, education & training
• held a workshop on effective communication tools at the International Australasian-Pacific Extension Network
• Conference
• published a report on the different, effective approaches to capacity building which was used as the basis for seven national workshops
• sponsored a successful conference on succession planning
• developed a training manual for effective training brokerage

RIRDC Rural Women’s Award 2006

launched and conducted the Award for 2006

recognised seven State winners and Seven runnersup

announced the inaugural National Winner and National Runner-up at a National Reception

sponsored and conducted a reunion forum for recipients of the award since its inception

sponsored attendance for 2006 recipients to attend the Australian Company Directors’ Course

launched the publication Winning women – Just scratching the surface

Farm Health and Safety

• widely distributed a series of booklets containing facts and figures on OH&S in Australia’s rural sector
• developed and published OH&S training packages for beef and horticultural farmers
• reviewed the major causes of respiratory illnesses in rural industries

Contact for Australian Rural Leadership Program:
Dr Steve Clark
Phone: 02 6281 0680
Fax: 02 6285 4676
Email: info@arlp.net.au

Contact for Rural Women’s Award:
Ms Edwina Clowes
Phone: 07 5476 1211
Fax: 07 5476 1311
Email: clowesedwina@bigpond.com

Contact for RIRDC Scholarships:
Ms Jane Fisher
Phone: 02 6271 6498
Fax: 02 6272 5877
Email: jane.fisher@rirdc.gov.au

Publications in 2005–06
HCC-RWA 06/047 Winning Women – Just scratching the surface
HCC 05/172 Farm Succession and Inheritance–Comparing Australian and international research
HCC-FHS 05/146 Hiring Good Quality Farm Labour
HCC 05/134 Fostering Collaborative Regional Development in Bioindustries – A case study, stage 1
HCC 05/131 Local Community Preparedness for an Emergency Animal Disease Outbreak
HCC 05/109 New Generation Farmers Markets in Rural Communities
HCC 05/105 Fostering Involvement – How to improve participation in learning
HCC 05/099 Business Operators Still at School
HCC-FHS 05/098 Health & Safety in the Horticulture Industries – A national strategy 2004-09
HCC-FHS 05/097 Health & Safety in the Packing Shed – A practical guide (Folder)
HCC 05/096 Health & Safety in the Australian Beef Cattle Industry-An industry strategy 2004-09
HCC-CVCB 05/095 Safe Cattle handling-A practical guide (Folder)
HCC-FHS 05/094 Extension for Capacity Building
HCC-CVCB 05/086 Agribusiness Role In Extension, Education & Training – A case study
HCC 05/077 HCC Research in Progress 2004–05
HCC-FHS 05/046 Occupational Health and Safety Risk in the Australian Beef Cattle Industry
HCC 05/045 Regional Foods – Australia’s health and wealth
HCC 02/169 Farm Machinery Regulatory Review

 
 

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