Rural Industries Research & Development Corporation

RIRDC Strategic Plan: 1997 to 2002

Investment Objectives by Sub-Program

Emerging New Industries

Established Industries

Emerging New Industries

Agroforestry & Farm Forestry

• Develop strategies for widespread adoption of agroforestry
• Develop design principles for tree/crop/pasture/animal interaction
• Develop extension and education tools

Asian Foods

• Complete marketing studies · Foster Asian vegetable production · Develop processing technologies for Asian foods

Cashews

• Develop yield increasing varieties
• Effective pest and disease control
• Develop processing and handling systems
• Explore markets

Deer

• Increasing production and processing capacity
• Enhanced information transfer
• Product development
• Market expansion

Essential Oils & Plant Extracts

• Develop new and improved species
• Develop agronomic systems for production of high quality oils and extracts
• Devise improved

Organic Produce

• Integrated industry standards and product description
• Expand production and exports
• Communication and technology transfer within the industry and with conventional agricultural systems

Rare Natural Animal Fibres

• Develop whole farm management systems
• Increased fibre production
• Develop classing and clip preparation standards
• Overcome limitations in processing and foster product development
• Enhanced information transfer

Tea Tree Oil

• Registration of Tea Tree Oil as a medical product
• Develop high yielding varieties
• Develop sustainable crop management practices
• Improve skills and knowledge of plantation management

Wildflowers & Native Plants

• Develop new markets and expand existing markets Develop new fresh and preserved products
• Provide markets with quality product on time
• Extend supply periods and enhance production efficiency

Established Industries

Chicken Meat

• Technologies to improve flock health and minimise effects of exotic diseases
• Higher production efficiency of lean chicken meat
• Safeguard public health
• Husbandry approaches to improve welfare and productivity
• Develop scientific expertise

Eggs

• Clarify domestic market changes and develop export markets
• Safeguard public health · Minimise effects of infectious diseases
• Improve production efficiency
• Define welfare standards in relevant production systems
• Effective technology transfer
• Develop scientific expertise

Fodder Crops

• Develop quality assurance systems
• Develop new products and markets
• Promote industry training and communication

Honeybee

• Better hive husbandry and management practices
• Better understand multiple public resource use issues
• Develop agricultural and horticultural crop pollination
• Improve extraction, storage and transport technologies
• Enhance information transfer

Horses

• Develop ‘state-of-the-art’ information systems
• Better horse management sysems with particular reference to: respiratory diseases; nutrition; lameness and limb injury; training related problems; reproductive failure
• Improved racetracks and working surfaces
• Develop horse research capacities

Pasture Seeds

• Develop export and import replacement opportunities
• Enhanced information and communication systems
• Improved seed production systems
• Address environmental impacts

Rice

• Rice varieties that meet market needs
• State-of-the-art crop production systems with particular reference to: establishment; growing systems; nutrition; pests, weeds and disease
• Sustainable rice farming systems
• Enhance information transfer
• More cost effective storage, handling and transport systems
• Increased returns from milling and processing technology