R&D to drive innovation and industry growth - issues for funders and researchers Dr Mark Sweetingham...
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Transcript of R&D to drive innovation and industry growth - issues for funders and researchers Dr Mark Sweetingham...
R&D to drive innovation and industry growth- issues for funders and researchers
Dr Mark SweetinghamExecutive Director Grains Industry - DAFWACo-chair - Grains Industry National RD&E Strategy
AG Institute Australia Forum August, 2015
Kelly Ryan developed MyCrop®to ensure your crop is thepicture of health.
Grains Industry
WA Government’s growth agenda
Focus on supporting industries and businessesthat are capable and motivated to grow.
Economic Development
Supporting your success
Double the value of the sector
by 2025+
Our biggest and growing sector- an innovation success story‘000
Against the backdrop of a drying climate
GVAP up 80%in 15 years
GVAP up 66%in 15 years
Better geneticsBetter agronomyBetter business management
What R&D Funders Want
Governments
• Economic Growth
- productivity, jobs, export income, value adding, wealth creation
Industry
• Increased returns to levy payers
- business profitability, reduced business risk, increased asset value
Private Sector
• Return to Shareholders / Members
- products and services, market size, profitable clients
All want it sustainable
What do Researchers want
• Employment and career pathways• Worthwhile & exciting projects• Opportunities for networking and knowledge expansion• Straightforward and efficient administration transactions
(funders and own organisation)
Timeframes in Ag Innovation
From Discovery to Commercial Success
• Rhizobium inoculants (1896, Germany)• Hybrid corn (1933, USA)• Australian Sweet Lupin (1959, WA)• RR GM soybean (1980, USA)
• Understanding & responsibilities for funders and researchers
On average a 24 year cycle in agriculture
Alston, Pardey and Ruttan (2008)
management process
decision tool
new product
new skill
fail
Supporting your success
How state agencies, CSIRO, universities, the private sector and GRDC will work together with industry
National Grains Industry RD&E Strategy
• National / International Research (Discovery)
• Regional Development (Translation)
• Local Extension(Adoption)
Representation
• State Departments (5)• C’wlth Department of Agriculture (1)• GRDC (1)• CSIRO (1)• Universities (ACDA) (1)• Grain Producers Australia (3)
We are doing a very good job !
What’s the problem ?
Stakeholders Survey 2009
What growers and agribusiness thought of
• State Agencies
• CSIRO
• Universities
• CRCs
• GRDC• highly valued individuals• anti-private sector• personal expertise driven• un-strategic• difficult to engage with• internally bureaucratic• low morale
Stakeholders Survey 2009
What growers and consultants thought of
• AgChem
• Biotech
• Plant Breeding & Seed
• Fertilizer
• Machinery• short-term pragmatists• product solution focussed• globally big, but locally weak
• drying climate, more frost & seasonal variation
• total factor productivity growth flat-lining
• higher input costs
• increasing farm debt
• market deregulation and increased price volatility
• the Asian market opportunity
• increased competition from low-cost producing countries
The business environment
The RD&E environment
• Decreased public funding
• Increased private funding
• Globalisation of agchem, biotech, ag engineering and infotech
• Ageing workforce and infrastructure
• Declining regional capacity
Supporting your success
Public sector
Increased private sector involvrment
• State Departments (5)• C’wlth Department of Agriculture (1)• GRDC (2)• CSIRO (1)• Universities (3)• Grain Producers Australia (3)• National Agribusiness Reference Group (1)• Grain Trade Australia (1)• Cereal Breeders Alliance (1)• CropLife Australia (1)
2011 2014
Grains
industry
2025+
Pillars of the National Grains RD&E Strategy
1. A forward-looking plan to secure the skilled people and the critical infrastructure
2. Consultative planning processes to identify and align government and industry priorities
3. A more flexible and efficient RD&E system
4. Access the best global technology and partnerships
5. Enhanced delivery and practice change
www.npirdef.org/cms_strategy/project/6/6
Highly efficient RD&E system that fostersworld-class innovation
Industry and Government Priorities
OUTCOME STREAMS
Improved Varieties
Improved Practices
Market Competitiveness
Sector Capability
Productivity Markets Biosecurity Climate Variability Resource Management Regional Development Industry Capacity
Access to new genetics and varieties with better on-farm performance and enhanced market competitiveness.
Practices and systems that increase farm productivity and profitability whilst maintaining the resource base and product integrity.
Knowledge access and connectionsto improve the competitiveness and efficiency of the supply chain.
Up skilling to increase farm business and sector viability.
TFP growth to 2.5% p.a. by 2025
Powered by GRDC partnership investment
Projects• Long term (> 8 years) • Medium term (3-8 years)• Short term (0-3 years)
• National / International• Regional• Local
4%
Other GRDC Investments eg.
Research Companies• AGT, InterGrain, LongReach• ACPFG• AEGIC
Bilaterals• CCDM • Australian Grains Genebank
Cooperative Research Centres• Plant Biosecurity CRC
ARC Centres of Excellence• Plant Energy Biology
Capacity Building• AGI Skills & Capacity Initiative
The Road to 2025
Further transformation of the public – private agri-food innovation system
• NZ Crown Research Institutes
• UK Agri-Tech Catalyst
• EU Translational Research& Knowledge Exchange in Value Chains
Not for profit company• Northam HQ• Geraldton, Merredin,
Esperance, Perth nodes• 150 DAFWA staff
Scope• Agronomy • Soil Productivity• Crop Protection• Genetic Improvement• Farming Systems
• R&D to boost grain growing productivity;
• access relevant global grain science and technology;
• distribute knowledge and support innovation at the farm business level
GrainsWest Ltd
Proposed
Why• More flexible• Lower overheads• More efficient • Easier for the private sector
to partner with• Greater industry ownership
and direction
• R&D to boost grain growing productivity;
• access relevant global grain science and technology;
• distribute knowledge and support innovation at the farm business level
GrainsWest Ltd
Proposed
The innovation system would benefit from -
• Balanced portfolio of investments over the short and long term
• Combination of Block Grants and Competitive Grants
• Take some risks in blue-sky and accept failures - fail early or pivot - blue sky doesn’t have to mean big $
• Embed researchers in industry (real world exposure, mentoring)
• Groom successors- start early- don’t over-protect junior staff- takes time to become a really good innovator (15 year investment)
ConsumersFood companiesPrimary processors
Handlers/traders