Farming for the future
The next decade is an exciting and challenging time for agri-food, with great opportunities for Australia if we can support our farmers to survive and thrive in an increasingly volatile world. A food economist with experience across research, innovation and commercialisation, newly-appointed CEAT fellow Graham Smith, says we need to take a more human-centred approach
Plant Health Australia visit ANU ag students
On Tuesday 5 July, CEAT had the pleasure of hosting Dr Maggie Mwathi and Kathryn Pagler from Plant Health Australia (PHA) to present a biosecurity workshop to ANU agriculture students at the Fenner School of Environment & Society. This was part of our partnership with PHA to create industry experiences for students and enhance awareness
July Director’s message
I have spent most of July in the UK and Europe, visiting a range of institutions that conduct research & development (R&D) targeting productivity growth in crops. This included a visit to BARN4, an agri-tech incubator in Cambridge, UK. BARN4 provides a place for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to interact with researchers from National
June Director’s message
As we approach the end of June, I have been packing my bags in preparation for my first overseas trip since 2019. Next week, I will be visiting folk in the UK, starting with the National Institute of Agricultural Botany (NIAB). NIAB is a non-profit entity established over 100 years ago with a mission to
Digital Agri-food Summit recap
Article by Rebecca Craine Earlier this month, CEAT Research Translation Initiative (RTI) team members, Vivienne Wells and Rebecca Craine, attended the Digital Agri-food Summit in Wagga Wagga to connect with colleagues and explore opportunities and innovations in the digital agriculture space. This summit explored a range of topics in the digital agri-food space including: automation
Digital Agriculture Scholarship awarded
When one of her high school teachers encouraged Eva Henningsen to apply for an opportunity to attend the Borlaug Dialogue (World Food Prize summit) in Des Moines, Iowa, in 2014, she had little idea of the impact it would have on her career and life. Attending the summit sparked a passion for food security and
Sustainability close to home
Earlier this year at the Future of Ag-Innovation panel discussion hosted by CEAT, Christine Mulhearn from the Department of Agriculture Water and the Environment spoke briefly about the role of supply chains and consumer demand in the agriculture industry. While Christine spoke of the opportunity people’s desire for specific luxury food items and seasonal produce
Science the key to future food security
Recent sharp increases in the price of certain fresh fruit and vegetables have focused community attention on the sustainability and resilience of Australia’s food production systems. While Australia is one of the most food secure countries in the world [ABARES], if we are to continue to feed a growing global population we need to substantially
Transformational change needed to revitalise Aus agriculture
Following on from the Drought Resilience workshop hosted by CEAT in April, researchers, policy makers and industry representatives gathered again on 3 June to identify what a revitalised Australian agri-innovation system might look like. Australia’s existing agri-innovation system focuses primarily on incremental short to medium term changes in the system. In the face of interacting
Hub member PPB Technology awarded Accelerating Commercialisation grant
CEAT Hub member PPB Technology has been successful in securing an Accelerating Commercialisation (AC) grant, a federal funding initiative from the Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources to support Australian companies in bringing their products to commercial market. PPB was among 15 recipients awarded in the latest round of funding. PPB Technology develops diagnostic
May Director’s message
I am writing this month’s CEAT Director’s message from home where – like 200,000 other people across Australia – I have been in COVID isolation for the past week. The mild nature of my COVID symptoms is a testament to the efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccines developed at unprecedented speed by researchers in 2020. Previously,
CEAT businesses share success
The CEAT Hub was a hive of activity this week as CEAT staff and our Hub community gathered on Wednesday to exchange business updates and hear about the ACT Government’s economic development priorities for 2022-2025. It was the first formal Hub event since August last year when Canberra and surrounding areas went into an extended
CEAT Strategic Investment Program funding awarded
Congratulations to the successful applicants from the latest round of the CEAT Strategic Investment Program. Two applications were successful in the latest round of funding – Prof Justin Borevitz (Research School of Biology) and team for their proposal titled ‘Linking farm management with plant & soil measurement via dynamic modelling’, and the Battery Storage and
April Director’s message
On the last working day of April, I participated in a stimulating lunchtime discussion (Summit Digest) on the main takeaways from the Australian Agritech Association’s recent 2022 National Agritech Summit. Dr Anastasia Volkova (CEO and co-founder at Regrow) did a great job at moderating the discussion to explore how each of the panel saw the
Drought resilience workshop reflection
CEAT is focussed on assisting producers, industry, and regional communities across Australia to prepare for and adapt to increasingly extreme, complex, and interrelated climatic conditions. We are working with Policy Partners to initiate critical discussions on the intersecting responsibilities of multiple research and policy agencies and how they can contribute more effectively to supporting agri-food
Engineers Without Borders Local Design Summit:
Indigenous Agriculture and Land Regeneration
Story by Rebecca Craine. Rebecca (above left) is in her final year at ANU pursuing a Bachelor of Engineering and Earth Science. She is interested in sustainability and infrastructure and how these can be developed in the agricultural space. Rebecca is working at CEAT as a part of the Research Translation Initiative (RTI) team, focussing
Agri-tech critical to reaching net zero
By Alex Maier. Agri-tech innovation is critical to reaching global targets for net zero carbon by 2050, according to experts speaking at the Canberra pre-2035 Oceania Summit workshop last week. The significant contribution agriculture and the agri-food supply chain make to our region’s greenhouse gas emissions will be the subject of the 2035 Agri-Food-Tech Oceania
Climate change impacts on food supply
By Bec Hopkins. Climate change is leading to a rise in food prices and availability, a recent report has found. ‘The Fork in the Road’ report written by Stephen Bartos and commissioned by Farmers for Climate Action, was released in early March and covered the risks that changing climate is having on the Australian food
Future Ag-Innovation Panel Discussion reflection
By Pia Cunningham, contributions from Denise Higgins. On Monday the 7th of March CEAT ran a panel discussion on the future of ag-innovation in the Birch Building on ANU campus, with a full sound and film crew recording. The panel had six members, each with different perspectives on the agtech system: Christine Mulhearn, Pip Grant,
ANU Plant Science team win international grant
By Pia Cunningham. While diet varies around the world, no one can deny the importance of staple grains. Wheat comprises 20 percent of all human calories and protein*; it is of great importance for feeding the human population. Climate change continues to raise average temperatures, increase the occurrence of extreme weather events, and change patterns
Wildlife Drones – an update on who they are and what they do
By Pia Cunningham. Hub member Wildlife Drones have had a very busy month! Wildlife Drones is a tech company that has developed radio-tracking drone systems for locating animals on the move. This technology can be applied to pest management, and conservation. For example, they have been working with the Western Australia Department of Biodiversity Conservation
March Director’s message
2022 represents the fourth year since the launch of CEAT in 2018, and two years since CEAT was elevated to the status of an ANU Innovation Institute in 2020. Much has happened over those years, with CEAT having gone from a concept to a funded-initiative that harnesses the potential of the ANU community to address
Research Translation team visits partners in Northern Victoria
Story by Rebecca Craine. Rebecca (above left) is in her final year at ANU pursuing a Bachelor of Engineering and Earth Science. She is interested in sustainability and infrastructure and how these can be developed in the agricultural space. Rebecca is working at CEAT as a part of the Research Translation Initiative (RTI) team, focussing
February Director’s Message
Earlier this month, the ANU Vice Chancellor, Professor Brian Schmidt, attended a speech at the National Press Club given by the Prime Minister, the Hon Scott Morrison MP. Joining Prof Schmidt was Dr Larry Marshall, Chief Executive of CSIRO. Together, they listened to the PM announce a $2.2 billion package to increase commercialisation of research
From Melbourne to Licola, where does the energy come from?
Story by Pia Cunningham. Pia is in her second year at ANU pursuing a Bachelor of Science. She is majoring in Resource and Environmental Management with a minor in Sustainable development. By travelling Australia on road trips or hiking, she sparked an interest in the agricultural landscape and how it will adapt to overcome the
Innovation and Agricultural Resilience
The OECD report Strengthening Agricultural Resilience in the Face of Multiple Risks, makes the point that managing risk is intrinsic to agriculture – risks that include weather, market volatility, financial instability, biosecurity and policy changes or distortions. However, it contends that moving into the future we need new risk management strategies that shift from reactivity
January Director’s message
Following last year’s United Nations climate conference in Glasgow UK, there is growing acceptance in government and the private sector that we need to better understand the effects of anthropogenic climate change (ACC) on agricultural productivity across the world. Thankfully, we are not starting from scratch, with a wide range of published, peer-reviewed papers having
December CEAT Director’s message
As readers may know, CEAT established its Agri-Innovation Fellow Program in late 2020. One of the main reasons for starting the Program was to ensure that CEAT is as well connected as possible to external agri-sector agencies. The Program is also designed to help CEAT identify the major industry challenges where researchers from the ANU-CSIRO
Agriculture and the Circular Economy
Story by Rebecca Craine and Vivienne Wells — What is the Circular Economy? As the global population increases and becomes more developed and urbanised, demand for food, energy and water are rising [1]. However, the Earth’s resources are finite and have a limited capacity to meet this growing demand. The standard model of society today
The benefits of agrivoltaics in agriculture
Story by Vivienne Wells — Climate variability will pose significant challenges to Australian farmers in the coming decades, with temperature rises since 2000 estimated to have reduced average farm profits by approximately 22% across the broadacre industry [1]. Broadacre cropping is affected most, with an average profit loss of $70,900 per year (35%) for a
November Director’s Message
In October the Australian Government released the most recent edition of the National Agricultural Innovation Policy Statement. The Statement provides an up-to-date overview of the Agricultural Innovation Agenda and how a range of investments are being deployed to help greatly increase Australia’s annual agricultural productivity growth. In this Director’s Message, I briefly explore some of
Plant Biology meets Computer Vision – interdisciplinary ANU research project reimagines plant phenotyping
Last month, Canadian biopharmaceutical company Medicago R&D Inc. and ANU successfully completed the first phase of a five-year research collaboration to monitor the growth and performance of plants used in the production of Virus-Like Particles (VLPs). The second phase of the collaboration will support $1.5M of research to enable Medicago to optimise proprietary plant-based technology
CSIRO and ANU Digital Agriculture PhD Scholarships
Agriculture of the future will be digitally integrated at all stages of the value-chain, from understanding genetics and real-time monitoring of on-farm conditions, through to transport logistics and traceability. CSIRO and ANU have partnered to offer exciting opportunities for PhD students to work with scientists and engineers at the cutting edge of research that is
Talking irrigation and agritech adoption with J. Matthew Pryor, Co-Founder, Tenacious Ventures and Partner, AgThentic
Recently Sarah Biggerstaff from CEAT caught up with J. Matthew Pryor to talk about the Up Stream Ag Insights and Agtech so what? report ‘The agtech adoption dilemma: irrigation’ which outlines barriers to irrigation technology adoption among farmers. The efficient and effective irrigation of crops is essential to the agriculture sector, however only 16% of
Genomic studies with pre-selected markers reveal dominance effects influencing growth traits in Eucalyptus nitens
Gondwana Genomics recently published a study in the scientific journal G3 on dominance effects influencing growth traits in Eucalyptus nitens. E. nitens is an important plantation species due to its fast-growing nature and resistance to frost. It is a popular species grown in plantations across Australia and particularly in Tasmania. Genomic selection is fast becoming
October Director’s message
As October 2021 ends, it has been fascinating to watch Australia’s political landscape shift as pressure builds for the Prime Minister to take a ‘net zero carbon emissions by 2050’ commitment to the United Nations climate conference that will take place in Glasgow UK from 31 Oct-12 Nov. With Australia moving towards making a net
Hear from OzRiver, second place winners of the H2O Hack
Story by Jiawei Hou. The agriculture industry plays a fundamental role in Australia’s economy and it is severely impacted by climate change. It is one of the most climate-vulnerable industries, sensitive to changing rainfall, temperature and extreme weather events. Access to better water and climate data can help farmers identify water risks and prepare for
Hear from Waterwise, first place winners of the H2O Hack
Story by Ophelia Phraphone, Ollie Viant and Nathan Rees. This was our second H2O Hackathon and we were so excited to be back! Hackathons are always such an enriching experience and we loved this year’s added twist on the problem statement, in which we had to focus on using space-based technologies to improve Australia’s water
Renewable Fuels for space travel
Story by Vivienne Wells. – The use of space-based technologies will add billions to agricultural productivity and improve the efficiency of rural industries, but the cost of space flight can have an impact on future sustainability goals. Whilst the world is currently facing challenges in transitioning all energy use away from fossil fuels, flight vehicles
Find out the winners of the 2021 H2O Hack
4-10 October marked the 2021 World Space Week, which recognises the impact and contributions of space science and technology in improving life on Earth. When we talk about space tech, we usually have an extra-terrestrial focus; Mars rover, moon landings and rockets, especially with the recent advent of ‘space tourism’. Yet there is so much
September Director’s message
For me, September has been a month of learning. Through a series of meetings with researchers and agri-sector experts, I have been learning more about the complex challenges facing agriculture, and ways in which research-intensive universities can deliver the R&D needed to address those challenges. A key topic in those discussions was whether Australia’s current
How Nourish Ingredients are taking on the alternative fats world
Alternative fats and oils developers, Nourish Ingredients are a team of world-class Aussie scientists, with a shared vision to make plant-based meat and dairy alternatives even better. Nourish was founded in 2019 by former CSIRO scientists Dr James Petrie and Dr Ben Leita. The Nourish team joined the CEAT Innovation Hub in early 2021, and have continued to grow
PPB Technology – from beginnings to business
Story by Dr Stephen Trowell. —- PPB Technology began developing as an idea when, in the last decade of my thirty year career with the CSIRO, I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to lead the team that established and developed a new diagnostic technology, CYBERNOSE®. At its birth, this technology was developed to
CEAT to co-host the 2021 H2O Hack: Solving water challenges from space
When most people think of space tech, they think of rockets, space stations and satellites. What most people don’t know is how much of life on Earth is influenced by this technology. Yet satellite enabled technology like remote sensing, geolocation and increased connectivity are increasingly important for many aspects of terrestrial life, including agriculture and water
August Director’s message
In the 2021-22 Australian Federal Government Budget announced in May this year, a $30,000 incentive was included for universities to create industry internships for their PhD students. Provided a student undertakes a three-month industry internship during the first 18 months of their PhD, their university would receive the incentive payment when the student graduates. While there are
CEAT announces new addition to the Innovation Hub
CEAT is pleased to announce a new addition to the CEAT Innovation Hub: Membrane Transporter Engineers (MTE). MTE is the brain child of ANU Research School of Biology researchers Dr Caitlin Byrt, Dr Annamaria De Rosa and Dr Samantha McGaughey, who are all part of the Byrt Group, which is a research team working on engineering plant membrane proteins and
CEAT co-hosts International Business Connect
On Wednesday 11 August, CEAT and the Canberra Business Chamber (CBC) hosted the International Business Connect event at the CEAT Innovation hub at The Australian National University. The event focused on the Australian agri-tech sector and the opportunities it holds as an export industry. The hybrid event was very well attended by delegates from embassies, CSIRO, ANU, CBRIN and business owners
Quantum Brilliance secures ARC Linkage grant
In August 2021 CEAT Hub Members Quantum Brilliance announced that they had been successful in their application for the 2020 round 3 of the Australian Research Council’s (ARC) Linkage Project grant. The project is worth around $2.2M including in-kind and financial contributions from all partners, and $561,297 from the ARC Linkage grant. The project’s aim is to
July 2021 Director’s message
A message from Prof Owen Atkin, CEAT Director —- In the second half of last century, the Green Revolution resulted in large increases in agricultural output, ensuring that food production largely kept pace with a rising global population. However, the benefits of that revolution have stagnated, with global agricultural production having plateaued at 0.5-1.0% per
Hijacking algal mechanisms for crop improvement and future food security
Story by Dr Britta Förster — The trajectories of insufficient global food supply for an estimated 9.5 billion people on our planet by 2050 according to the World Health Organization – which all deserve to be fed, and ideally fed well – paint a dire picture for our future. Research all over the world explores avenues
Trends for a greener ag industry
With the harsh realities of climate change becoming harder to ignore, now more than ever investing in sustainable agriculture has become a priority. The impacts of agriculture are far-reaching, but fortunately there are many trends on the rise that focus on improving the sustainability of the sector. Here are the latest sustainability trends creating a
Reflections on the challenges of agri-tech innovation
CSIRO recently ran a responsible Ag-Tech Innovation Symposium which was the brain-child of social scientists from CSIRO’s Digiscape and Responsible Innovation Future Science Platforms, whose anticipatory innovation work seeks to understand the benefits and challenges associated with a digital transformation and technology uptake in the agricultural sector. The hybrid event consisted of 240 people (from
June Director’s message
While online meetings enable the geographic spread of our networks (and enabled projects to maintain momentum during COVID-19), face-to-face events still provide opportunities to build the relationships that are crucial to professional networks. It was great that I had the pleasure of being involved in several face-to-face events in June, including attending the annual awards
Congratulations to Nourish Ingredients’ Anna El Tahchy
Nourish Ingredients Chief Technical Officer Dr. Anna El Tahchy has been recognised by both the Australian Academy of Technology & Engineering (ATSE) and the Vegan Women’s Summit x Impossible Foods “Women Building the Future” campaign for her achievements in cellular agriculture. Dr. El Tahchy holds a PhD in Biochemistry and has extensive experience in lipid engineering and food chemistry. Anna
Meet Professor Bob Furbank, CEAT Champion
Professor Bob Furbank is a renowned researcher at the Australian National University’s Research School of Biology. His career has spanned over 30 years, during which he has published many academic papers and led numerous successful research projects. Bob is an internationally recognised pioneer of multiscale or “systems” plant biology, with major contributions to areas ranging
Food in the Capital tour showcases Canberra as a food capital
CEAT Marketing and Communications Manager Shikha Sud recounts her experience at the 2021 Food in the Capital Conference below. Last week, I had the opportunity to attend the Food in the Capital Conference, hosted by Michael Claessens and Suzanne Gearing from Regional Development Australia ACT. The first day of the conference was packed with presentations and
May Director’s message
May is the month when the Federal Government releases its budget for the coming year. On the morning after the budget release, I was pleased to attend the CropLife Australia Agricultural Industry Federal Budget Breakfast at the National Press Club, where the Minister for Agriculture, Hon David Littleproud MP, outlined how the government would be
Sustainable supply chains: creating trust and resilience from farm to table
On 14 May the Australian AgriTech Association hosted a virtual panel titled Sustainable supply chains: creating trust & resilience from farm to table. The panel was facilitated by Sarah Nolet from AgThentic, and made up of Lachlan Monsborough from Rabobank, Olympia Yarger of Goterra, and Jessica Vieira from Apeel Sciences. The panel covered a range
What will the future of agriculture look like?
The agriculture sector has evolved dramatically over the last two decades. Continual advancements in mechanics, biology and digital technology have seen the industry become more efficient, productive and sustainable. Agriculture’s future is predicted to see even more change, as social, technological and environmental forces shape the industry and its workforce. Digital Communications Social media has
Food in the Capital highlights the essential role of food in our region
CEAT Marketing and Communications Officer Sarah Biggerstaff recounts her experience at the 2021 Food in the Capital Conference below. On Tuesday 18 May I attended the Food in the Capital conference at the Realm Hotel in Canberra, along with other representatives from CEAT. The day was jam-packed with panels, keynote speakers, and talks from people
Space technologies and the future of ag – Q and A with Martin Amidy
Sarah Biggerstaff from the CEAT Marketing and Communications team sat down with Martin Amidy, Senior Research Fellow at CEAT to discuss the recently published report ‘Space-based technologies – opportunities for the rural sector’, its outcomes, and the role of space tech in the future of agriculture. SB: What does space technology have to do with
April Director’s message
Nutt family farm in Black Rock, SA. In recent decades, rural industries have been able to develop a range of technologies that greatly increase the efficiency, safety and sustainability of food and fibre production. Central to many of these has been the deployment of satellite-based technologies that deliver remote sensing, connectivity and geolocation capabilities to
Nourish Ingredients funding announcement
Recently Nourish Ingredients, our newest CEAT Hub member, announced their successful initial funding round of $11M USD, co-led by Horizons Ventures and Main Sequence Ventures, two of the leading food-tech VC firms in the world. James Petrie, Nourish’s CEO says “It’s a huge step toward the realisation of our biggest goal – to bring to
Five ways to boost creativity and break out of a creative rut
Creativity and creative thinking impact all aspects of life, from small ways (like thinking of something different to make for dinner for a change), to major, innovative ways (like how to change a design of a product or process to make it safer, cheaper, faster, or even all of these things). No matter what kind
Attracting new talent to the ag sector
Agriculture is one of the fastest growing industries in Australia. As we approach 2050, we can expect to see significant advances in both technology and practice as the industry races to satisfy the needs of a growing population in the midst of global climate change. With technological advances continually changing how ag producers operate, the
Creativity in research
The United Nations launched Creativity and Innovation Day and Creativity and Innovation Week in 2017 to celebrate the ways in which these concepts and behaviours impact everyday life globally. “There may be no universal understanding of creativity. The concept is open to interpretation from artistic expression to problem-solving in the context of economic, social and
Future opportunities for military technology to advance agriculture
Australian producers have been at the forefront globally in adopting new technologies that deliver management efficiency and productivity benefits. The pressure of a highly variable climate and managing volatile export-focused markets has driven this adoption. Advanced pesticide technologies and no-tillage conservation agriculture practices have had an essential role in improving agricultural broadacre productivity and buffering
March update from CEAT Director
Over the past three months, CEAT has been working with our partners at the University of Adelaide and University of Western Australia to increase awareness among government, industry stakeholders and producers of our proposal for a ‘National Mission for Future Crop and Community Resilience’. The National Mission document outlines an initiative to create a step
How can Aussie agriculture adapt to climate change?
In the coming 50 years, climate change will be one of the most significant problems facing Australian agriculture, with forecasts predicting increasing temperatures and decreasing rainfall. It is vital that the agriculture industry adapts to these changes. While some adaptation is happening, far more needs to be done. The ABARES Outlook 2021 conference outlined two
Smart irrigation control for water and labour savings in rice
Matt Champness, a former CEAT Emerging Scholar, is currently undertaking a PhD with Deakin University’s Centre for Rural and Regional Futures based in Griffith NSW. His project is focused on developing integrated smart sensing and irrigation automation systems for rice growing capable of delivering the needed high level control parameters. The ultimate goal is to
What is the Right to Repair Movement – and why do we need it?
How long have you owned your mobile phone? 1 year? 2 years? 3 years?! If you’re like me, you probably buy a new phone every couple of years. As new phones and updates are released, it always seems as if my old phone gets slower and slower. I’m sure you’ve experienced this too. When new
February Director’s message
After a year of deserted university campuses, it was fantastic to see students returning to their ANU residential colleges and classes in February. While lectures will remain an online experience for many, relaxation of COVID-19 restrictions has meant that small group teaching and laboratories can be now run face-to-face. The flow-on benefits will be substantial,
Nourish Ingredients join the CEAT Innovation Hub
CEAT is pleased to welcome the newest members of our Innovation Hub, food technology company, Nourish Ingredients. Nourish Ingredients is leading the movement to revolutionise how alternative protein products are made. Their work focuses on creating tailored, animal-free fats and oils that make plant-based meat, fish and dairy alternatives even tastier and more sustainable. Because
Meet CEAT’s first Fellow
CEAT established its Fellows Program in late 2020 to harness relevant expertise to tackle agritech industry challenges and transform how industry and our research community collaborate and to grow next generation agritech capability. Below is an interview between Denise Higgins and one of our inaugral Fellows, Dr Rohan Rainbow. Denise: Rohan what’s important to you
Bridging Barriers to Agri-Tech Adoption
The agriculture industry has seen many changes over the last 50 years, ranging from mechanical improvements in machinery, the broader usage and diversification of genetically modified crops and new digital management tools. These changes have expanded the scale, speed and productivity of Aussie farms, leading to more efficient production and land use. However, with the
CEAT hosts representatives from Austrade and AusIndustry
As part of our monthly Hub Member Networking Lunch on Wednesday 17 February, CEAT hosted David Barbalet and colleagues from AusIndustry and Matthew Durban and colleagues from Austrade to present to our hub members about the various funding schemes available to SMEs and emerging entrepreneurs. The session was well attended by CEAT Hub Members, and
CEAT 2020 End of Year Event
On Thursday 10 December last year, CEAT held an end of year celebration event, which was attended by over 80 guests from across ANU, CSIRO, industry, government and other innovation networks. The event celebrated the achievements of CEAT over the previous 12 months, including our elevation to an ANU Innovation Institute, our various successful events
January Director’s message
Welcome to the first update of 2021. I hope you had a wonderful holiday season and are excited for the year ahead. Universities across Australia are home to researchers and infrastructure that in many cases could help industry address complex challenges. A key aspect of harnessing this capability is ensuring that industry is able to
Building Capacity for Responsible Innovation: Agri-Technology
In collaboration with CSIRO, CEAT is piloting a Responsible Innovation course in May 2021. Emerging science and technology is creating complex issues for societies and their decision makers. Novel and disruptive innovations and technologies present significant policy, regulatory and ethical challenges, which if left unresolved, could constrain the potential for future science to deliver benefits
December Director’s message
As many of you know, a key change for CEAT in 2020 was its elevation to the status of an ANU Innovation Institute along with other Institutes such as the 3A Institute, WearOptimo Institute and Institute for Space. ANU Innovation Institutes are entities whose role is to harness the full intellectual capacity of the University
New Agricultural Innovation courses coming to ANU
The CEAT Innovation Training Initiative supports the development of new skills and pathways for future innovators, influencers and leaders in agri-technology. In collaboration with the ANU Fenner School of Environment & Society and CSIRO, CEAT are supporting the delivery of a suite of new agriculture-oriented education and training offerings in 2021, ranging from Undergraduate to
Quantum Brilliance bag a bundle in funding
CEAT Innovation Hub members Quantum Brilliance have been awarded $828,666 from the Federal Government to build a state of the art manufacturing plant for room temperature quantum computers. This comes as part of the Entrepreneurs Programme, which has invested $243 million in Australian innovation to date. This latest grant of $7.99 million was received by
The impacts of COVID-19 on Australian Agriculture
2020 has dealt unparalleled challenges across all areas of our community and the world, including Australia’s agricultural community, who have faced devastating bushfires, drought and a world-wide pandemic. With 2021 around the corner, now is the perfect time to reflect on the challenges of 2020, and to look hopefully ahead to next year. The agricultural
Robotics in Australian Agriculture
Advancements in robotics, and the applications of robotics products in agriculture are constantly producing exciting opportunities in the field. Whilst many agricultural robotic projects are still in the developmental phase, the outcomes of this research hint at a future in which technology will allow us to produce the same output using less resources. This possibility
November Director’s Report
When CEAT was launched in 2018, our goal was to build – in Canberra and its surrounding region – a globally-connected agri-tech innovation ecosystem where world-class research and technology is targeted to agricultural challenges, independent of traditional disciplinary boundaries. Note the geographic range this encompasses – it goes from local to regional to national to
Software engineering in agri-tech
CEAT 2020 EvokeAG scholar, Bryce Cronin updates us on agri-tech startups that have caught his attention. As a software and network engineering student with a keen interest in robotics, I’ve been keeping my eye on a number of agri-tech startups from Australia and around the world. While these startups are diverse in their offerings, what
GRDC Research Scholarship applications open
GRDC Research Scholarship (GRS) Program applications are open again in 2021. High achieving students undertaking post-graduate research are encouraged to apply in areas of priority for the GRDC and our stakeholders. The GRS Program has evolved and goes beyond financial support to include a GRDC and industry symposium, as well as facilitating industry engagement throughout
October Director’s Report
An update from Professor Owen Atkin, CEAT Director As many of you know, the Centre for Entrepreneurial Agri-Technology is located in the National Agricultural & Environmental Sciences Precinct at the interface of ANU and the Black Mountain campus of CSIRO. The Precinct is an outstanding plant and agricultural sciences knowledge cluster – one that includes
Gondwana Genomics predict the performance of eucalyptus trees
CEAT Hub members, Gondwana Genomics, in collaboration with China Eucalypt Research Centre (CERC), recently undertook a research project where Gondwana’s DNA marker technology was used to predict the performance of Eucalyptus pellita trees. Gondwana were able to show the great accuracy of their technology to predict growth and wood traits of E. pellita trees using
AquaporinSolutions team participates in the Bridge Hub Water Challenge
Australia is the driest inhabited continent on earth and has recently faced one of its worst droughts. Climate change and increased incidence of extreme weather events are threatening water security for all Australians. Currently, approximately 70% of Australia’s water resources are used for Agriculture, and water resources are becoming increasingly stretched. Biotechnological innovations are needed
Research collaboration targets plant-based vaccine development
A new research collaboration aims to develop new methods and tools to non-invasively monitor the growth and performance of plants used in the production of Virus-Like Particles (VLPs). In doing so, the research will help to optimise the biotechnology for plant-based vaccine development. Initiated and supported by the Centre for Entrepreneurial Agri-Technology (CEAT) and ANU
A message from Prof Owen Atkin – September 2020
I was pleased to see that earlier this month, the Minister for Agriculture, Drought and Emergency Management, the Hon. David Littleproud, announced that the Australian Government will invest $86 million in establishing eight Adoption and Innovation Hubs across regional Australia, and that it will develop a Digital Foundations for Agriculture Strategy. Drought is a focus
Jessica Fearnley – My life in Agriculture
Working in the Australian temperate fruit industries is full of surprises; the constant demand to produce safe, clean quality fruit weighs continually on our farmers. My name is Jessica Fearnley and I work as a researcher to help farmers supply this fruit to you! Working for the NSW Department of Primary Industries in Orange I start my
Owen Atkin on using satellites to benefit agriculture
Professor Owen Atkin recently gave an interview to ANU media on the role satellite technology plays in providing a greater capacity to quantify the performance of plants growing across the entire surface of the Earth over long periods of time. See Owen’s full interview here.
August update from Prof. Owen Atkin, Director, CEAT
A major feature of CEAT is its focus on helping Canberra-based agri-tech businesses grow, with that growth providing employment and training opportunities for our students and early career researchers. It was with this in mind that we established the CEAT Innovation Hub in the Gould Building – a building that is ideally placed on the ANU campus
ANU-Agrifutures Australia: Space technologies for Australia’s rural sector virtual workshop
On August 18 -19 and 26-27 CEAT and ANU hosted an interactive virtual workshop on behalf of AgriFutures Australia to assess the future of space technologies in the rural sector and co-design an Industry Issues report to be distributed by AgriFutures. The workshop included participants from agriculture, fisheries, and the forestry industry, as well as
CEAT welcomes Quantum Brilliance to the Innovation Hub
Quantum Brilliance is a start-up company building quantum computers with the ultimate goal of developing ‘QPUs’ that are the size of an accelerator card. Quantum Brilliance’s work has a range of applications in the agri-sector. This includes increasing our ability to ‘replicate’ the natural world through highly complex models of relevance to agriculture that account for processes such as photosynthesis,
Farewell to FluroSat
After 18 months as members of the CEAT Innovation Hub, award-winning agri-tech start-up company, FluroSat are leaving the hub to move on to the next phase of their business journey. In recent years, FluroSat have grown into a highly successful, internationally recognised business. CEAT is pleased and proud to have been part of their journey,
July update from Prof. Owen Atkin, Director, CEAT
Last week, Bob Furbank (Director, ARC Centre of Excellence for Translational Photosynthesis) and I were lucky enough to be at the National Press Club to hear an address from the President of the National Farmers Federation, Ms. Fiona Simson. Her speech focused on how national economic recovery can be achieved, in part, through reform and
Read the latest from AgriFutures evokeAG. newsletter
Data driving profits, farms and Australian agriculture. How farmers collect, use and store data is what will drive Australian agriculture in the future, and everyone has a view on what opportunities are available. Economist and entrepreneur, Ros Harvey, is the Founder and Managing Director of one of Australia’s most successful startups, The Yield Technology Solutions (“The Yield”).
June update from Prof. Owen Atkin, Director, CEAT
With the winter solstice having just passed, I was surprised last week to find a near-ripe plum on one of the trees in my backyard! With the drought, heatwaves and hail events having limited fruit production during the summer, my favorite plum tree decided to take advantage of a wet late summer and autumn to
That’s a wrap on the H2O Hack
During the week of 15-19 June, the Centre for Entrepreneurial Agri-Technology (CEAT), at The Australian National University, in partnership with The University of Canberra’s Centre for Applied Water Science (CAWS), Bridge Hub, CSIRO and Charles Sturt University, with the Canberra Innovation Network (CBRIN) as a delivery partner ran the ‘H2O Hack: technology to drought-proof the
Working together to solve global water challenges
The recent ‘black summer’ of bushfires and the devastating drought that preceded it has made evident the water management challenges facing Australia. 2019 was the driest year on record with nationally averaged rainfall 40% below the long term average. Fires over the summer of 2019/20 burned nearly 19 million hectares of forest and killed at
An update from Mandy Nguyen, CEAT Chief Operating Officer
I am so delighted to have the opportunity to join the CEAT team as its new Chief Operating Officer (COO). As this is my first blog for CEAT, I thought I should share with you some personal background. Growing up in a family home surrounded by rice fields, I have always had a strong passion
Innovate to Grow with CSIRO
Do you have a drive to understand how new technologies could create value for your business? CSIRO is currently offering a new, complimentary, Innovation Enabled Growth professional development program to a select group of Agrifood small-medium enterprise (SME) leaders. This 12 week applied, online program will: Provide insights into emerging technologies reshaping your industry. Support
An update from Prof. Owen Atkin, CEAT Director
Well, what a wild start to 2020. Nature has reminded us how challenging the Australian environment can be, with a three-year drought and heat waves creating the conditions for a bushfire season that affected rural and metropolitan communities alike. Here in Canberra and surrounding regions, the arrival of desperately needed rain was preceded by an
Wheat breeding tool set to optimise energy use efficiency
Researchers report important progress in developing a new tool to realise the next generation of wheat yield gains. The tool takes the form of an index that rates wheat’s energy use efficiency (EUE). It can be used to exploit genetic diversity in a wheat plant’s ability to use energy from photosynthesis to optimise yield. The breakthrough
Citizen science to aid bushfire recovery
CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency, is working with key agencies and community groups to support research underway throughout bushfire impacted areas. The Citizen Science Bushfire Project Finder website allows members of the public to contribute to projects ranging from air quality, to identifying and confirming animal and plant sightings while maintaining safe social distancing practices. People can
Untapped potential for animals to help reduce bushfire risk
A new study led by The Australian National University (ANU) has found that animals may be an “untapped” resource to help manage fuel loads for bushfires. Lead author Dr Claire Foster said Australia’s recent summer has shown that wildlife can be severely impacted by bushfires, but the report found that animals can also influence bushfires in surprising ways. “Large grazing animals – including cows, kangaroos and rhinos – eat large amounts of
Positive Impacts of COVID-19 on the Illegal Wildlife Trade
If you told me a few months ago that the world would have literally gone into lockdown because of a global pandemic – I probably wouldn’t have believed you. But here we are. At Wildlife Drones we have been working from home for over the past two weeks. Like many other organisations around the world, this has
Looking after yourself during COVID-19
Many people are now working from home to help stem the tide of COVID-19. While this measure is both reasonable and necessary, it does present us as a community with numerous challenges, not least of which is how to stay sane when only essential excursions outside the home are allowed. With this in mind, we have compiled
CEAT staff get remote
Due to new protocols in place to reduce the spread of COVID-19, CEAT staff will be working remotely for the next few months. Don’t worry – you can still stay up to date with our news via our Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn channels, as well as our website. We will update these channels regularly so you
CEAT events postponed
Due to rising concerns surrounding the COVID-19 virus, CEAT is suspending all planned events for the time being. This is in line with government requirements to cancel all non-essential gatherings. We hope to deliver virtual and remote activities over the coming months, and will keep this page updated. For more information contact [email protected]
evokeAG wrap up
Tickets sold out to evokeAG 2020, held in Melbourne and the biggest agri-food tech event in the Asia Pacific region. Well over 1000 delegates came together to discuss how innovation and technology can help solve the biggest challenges in agriculture, both in Australia and globally. Speakers included John Hartnett of SVG Ventures and THRIVE, Frank
Introducing Jessica Fearnley
Jessica Fearnley is a CEAT Emerging Leader, and received a scholarship to attend evokeAG 2020. Jessica’s love of agriculture developed in Year 8, when agriculture became part of her curriculum. She says that she had a fantastic teacher who was very passionate and it was hard to not to catch his enthusiasm. Jessica continued to
Meet Bobby Wen
Bobby Wen is a CEAT Emerging Leader, and received a scholarship to attend evokeAG 2020. In 2019, Bobby completed his Bachelor of Economics/Bachelor of International Security Studies at The Australian National University, and is about to begin an Associate role at Deloitte. During his undergraduate career, Bobby has participated in a number of student exchange
EvokeAG scholar, Amellia Redfearn
Amellia Redfearn is a CEAT Emerging Leader, and received a scholarship to attend evokeAG 2020. Growing up in Sydney, there were few opportunities for Amellia to experience agriculture firsthand. However, her uncle had a farm, which is where Amellia’s passion for agriculture was born. She then attended an agricultural high school, where she discovered how
5 minutes with Matt Champness
Matt Champness is a CEAT Emerging Leader, and received a scholarship to attend evokeAG 2020. Matt’s interest in agriculture arises from the challenge Australia and the world now face to sustainably produce more food for a growing population using less land, water, labour and resources. Having graduated in 2018 with a Bachelor of Agricultural Science
Meet Bryce Cronin
Bryce Cronin is a CEAT Emerging Leader, and received a scholarship to attend evokeAG 2020. In 2020 Bryce will complete a Bachelor of Engineering in Network and Software Engineering at the University of Canberra. He is interested in the industrial applications of software engineering to the agriculture sector, with a particular desire to explore the
Introducing Jana Dixon
Jana Dixon is a CEAT Emerging Leader, and received a scholarship to attend evokeAG 2020. Growing up on a farm, Jana has always been exposed to and interested in agricultural life. This has led to a natural transition into agronomic consulting following her completion of a Bachelor of Agricultural Sciences at the University of Adelaide
Meet Professor Owen Atkin, Director of CEAT.
In his role as Director, Owen is passionate about expanding the career options of young researchers, particularly in the agriculture industry. He is also committed to building stronger relationships between ANU, CSIRO, industry and government. In March 2019, Owen was named the ANU Vice-Chancellor’s Entrepreneurial Professor in recognition of his work in creating an innovation
Emerging leaders to attend evokeAG 2020
Six emerging leaders in agri-tech have been selected to attend evokeAG. 2020 – Asia Pacific’s largest agrifood tech event held in Melbourne on 18–19 February. Sponsored by the Centre for Entrepreneurial Agri-Technology (CEAT), the scholarship recipients will have the chance to immerse themselves in innovation, connect with industry leaders and explore hot topics in global agri-tech.
CEAT supports Emerging Leaders to attend evokeAG
This year the Centre for Entrepreneurial Agri-Technology (CEAT) is partnering with evokeAG to bring six emerging leaders from across Australia to the two-day agri-food tech event in Melbourne on the 18–19 February 2020. CEAT is providing six young people interested in agri-tech, agri-food, and sustainable agriculture with a scholarship going towards travel costs, accommodation, and
Wildlife Drones helping to protect endangered species
In a world first, drones have been used to successfully radio-track critically endangered Sunda Pangolins in Vietnam. In November 2019, technology start-up Wildlife Drones collaborated with Save Vietnam’s Wildlife and the U.S. Agency for International Development’s (USAID) Saving Species project, using technology that is revolutionising the way animals are tracked. Based at the Centre for
Resources for bushfire awareness and safety
The current bushfire season is one of the worst on record. Disasters of this magnitude can have wide-reaching impacts on physical and mental health. For this reason, CEAT have compiled a list of resources about the best actions to take to keep yourself and your family safe this fire season. Smoke Hazardous smoke from fires
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