Delivering impact

GRDC leads investment in grains research, development and extension (RD&E) in Australia.

Our primary objective is to drive the discovery, development and delivery of world-class innovation to enhance the productivity, profitability and sustainability of Australian grain growers to benefit the industry and the wider community.

We strive to deliver tangible, on-the-ground impact for Australian grain growers through strategic and tactical investments in RD&E. We engage and consult with growers, farm advisers, industry stakeholders and government to understand constraints and opportunities so our investments are well informed and align with industry needs and our RD&E Plan.

Measuring impact is critical to understand where we are driving positive change and delivering on our purpose and strategic objectives.

Impact assessment underpins decisions on when to invest, how, where and with which partners. These analyses ensure we’re investing in RD&E that delivers the greatest impact for growers and maximum return on investment. Find out more.

Case studies

We measure the value of investment outcomes following the adoption of new technologies or practices by growers. Investments are targeted to deliver outcomes that maximise price and yield, whilst minimising input costs.

GRDC uses a both internal and external impact evaluations which comply with the Council of Rural Research and Development Corporation guidelines on impact evaluation. The impact cases were selected to represent the portfolio of research over a five-year period.

New sowing date calculators could lift wheat, barley yields

GroundCover

The Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) has made a significant investment in the National Phenology Initiative (NPI), aiming to enhance agricultural practices for wheat and barley cultivation. This initiative focuses on understanding the timing of biological events in the life cycle of plants, which is crucial for optimising sowing times. By developing an improved sowing time guide, GRDC seeks to help growers make more informed decisions, leading to better crop yields and profitability.

Automated biosecurity sentinels guarding the modern farm

GroundCover

GRDC’s role in the recent $21 million investment in the iMapPESTS project marks a significant advancement in pest management for grain growers by developing cutting-edge automated Sentinel units. These devices are designed to enhance the monitoring of agricultural pests, providing farmers and researchers with timely, actionable pest management information. By leveraging advanced technology, iMapPESTS aims to streamline pest detection and reporting, ultimately improving crop health and yield.

Strategic grazing with virtual fencing a viable potential weed control option

GroundCover

Targeted grazing using near-commercial virtual fencing devices has emerged as an effective weed control solution across various agricultural settings, including crops, pastures and summer fallows.

Making sense of the weather

GroundCover

Recent investments by GRDC in enhanced seasonal forecast information have resulted in a productivity boost for growers in the southern region and southern New South Wales.

Machine learning heralds a new era of functional soil mapping

GroundCover

The mapping pf soil constraints and plant-available water capacity has benefited significantly from consecutive GRDC investments in the development and deployment of machine-learning models

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