Cross-sector partnerships

There are many common issues facing Australia’s agricultural commodities and much of Australia’s agricultural production is undertaken by mixed farming businesses. This creates the opportunity for GRDC to collaborate with other Rural Research and Development Corporations (RDCs) and research partners across different agricultural commodities to deliver the innovation required by Australian grain growers. This is particularly the case for innovation that will contribute to Australia’s national interest.

Cross-sector partnerships are an efficient way to solve issues faced by multiple production systems, to reduce duplication of effort and to ensure there is the scale of investment that is necessary to resolve difficult problems.

These include:

Rural Safety and Health Alliance (RSHA)

RSHA is a partnership led by AgriFutures in collaboration with GRDC and seven other RDCs. RSHA provides cross-sector leadership and action on farm safety RD&E, working together to:

Co-develop and jointly invest in cross-sector RD&E projects.
Champion and help align workplace health and safety RD&E in the agricultural sector.
Share resources and ideas between RSHA members.

Since 2022, the primary focus of the RSHA has been to explore pathways to a sustainable capacity for producing reliable, fit-for-purpose farm safety metrics. In 2022-23, RSHA worked on two main projects, Reducing Serious Injury from Mobile Plant and Developing the Ag Safety Data Net Concept.

For more information visit the RSHA website.

Australian Pastures Genebank (APG)

The APG was established in 2014 to protect the nation’s pasture and forage genetic resources in line with Australia’s obligations under the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. The APG acquires, documents, conserves, maintains and distributes plant genetic material for pasture and forage species in the form of seed and associated data.

The APG is delivered by the South Australian Research and Development Institute (Primary Industries and Regions South Australia) at the University of Adelaide’s Waite Campus with operational funding through five RDCs (GRDC, Meat and Livestock Australia, Australian Wool Innovation, Dairy Australia and AgriFutures).

For more information visit the APG website of the GRDC investment page: APG.

Plant Biosecurity Research Initiative (PBRI)

The PBRI supports cross-sectoral RD&E to minimise the damaging consequences caused by biosecurity threats to Australian plant industries. This includes diseases, weeds, and endemic and exotic pests that affect Australia’s plant industries, community and the environment. The PBRI was established in 2018 to provide leadership and coordination to ensure plant biosecurity research is well-targeted and innovative.

PBRI member organisations are DAFF, AgriFutures, GRDC, Cotton RDC, Forest and Wood Products Australia, Hort Innovation, Plant Health Australia, the Council of RDCs, Sugar Research Australia and Wine Australia.

For more information visit the PBRI website or the GRDC investment page: PBRI.