How Ag Tech Can Lead Australia to a Fertile Future
In September of this year, the Australian Council of Learned Academics (ACOLA) released its Future of Agriculture Technologies report , according to The Daily Telegraph.
Commissioned by Australia’s chief scientist Alan Finkel, on behalf of the National Science and Technology Council, the forward-looking report comes at a crucial time for Aussie farmers. After a decade of what can genuinely be described as biblical plight – floods, fires and plague – it’s clear that the sector must continue to evolve.
“Australia’s diverse agriculture, fisheries, and forestry sector is a AU$69 billion industry. However, reaching the government’s goal of AU$100 billion by 2030 will likely require more than just incremental technological advancements,” Finkel said in his statement accompanying the report.
The research has identified exactly how adopting new technologies – such as sensors, robotics, artificial intelligence, biotechnology, nanotechnology, and blockchain – are vital to improving the sector’s productivity, diversity, profitability and long-term survival.
“Innovation in our agriculture sector is critical for our economy, our food security and so much more. With a supportive policy environment, workforce and investment, we are confident that the future of agriculture in Australia will be one in which data analytics and artificial intelligence are as at-home on the farm as they are in any other high-tech industry,” said Stewart Lockie, one of the chairs of the ACOLA expert working group.
Continue reading at The Daily Telegraph.
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