GRDC’s new Tekfarm program seeks global agtech solutions for Australia’s grains industry

In 2020-2021, there were 22,500 Australian grains producers, who propelled the country to its highest yields on record for wheat, barley, canola, chickpeas, field peas, and lupins. Fernando Felquer, head of business development and commercialization, GRDC tells AFN that Australia’s grains industry presents a wide range of potential opportunities and advantages for international agtech ventures. “The GRDC is currently committed to a five-year Research, Development & Extension Plan [RD&E] for 2018 to 2023, designed to create enduring profitability for Australian grain producers.

The current key trade priorities and the commitment to RD&E creates a marked opportunity for investment in innovation. Makes the Australian grains trade a perfect launchpad for international agtech ventures,” he states. Traceability and demonstrated food safeness are likely to remain key customer requirements in the wake of Covid-19, and are expected to increase in importance in the short-to-medium term.

In recent years, the Australian grains industry has remained stable and “the value of grains production over the five years to 2020 has remained steady despite market access challenges and seasonal conditions that reduced production” per to GrainGrowers , a group representing Australian grain growers. AFN sat down with Felquer (FF), Murphy (CM), Farmers2Founders managing director Christine Pitt (CP). GrainInnovate portfolio manager Robert Williams (RW) to discuss the TEKFARM program and the opportunities that await international agtech ventures in the Australian grains trade.

AFN : What is the role of GRDC in supporting agtech innovation in Australia? Those initiatives include support for startups to participate in accelerator programs across the existing Australian agtech accelerator capacity, as well as with GrainInnovate, a A$50 million [$34.9 million] venture capital fund run in collaboration with Artesian .

AFN : How does the TEKFARM program facilitate these opportunities for international agtech ventures interested in the Australian grains marketplace? CM : The TEKFARM Global program was created in collaboration with GRDC to provide innovative, international tech ventures with the opportunity to connect, collaborate, and scale new technologies in the Australian marketplace. The initial pilot of the TEKFARM program will run in mid-2022 and will provide international agtech ventures with the opportunity to learn about Australian market conditions, build a local team, and gain access to infrastructure to establish a business in Australia.

CP : The global agtech firms that we are working with find that the TEKFARM program helps to smooth the way for marketplace entry into the region as it provides a ‘crawl, walk, run approach’ to the marketplace and allows confidence in all steps of the process along the way. Now it’s heading Stateside Farmers2Founders delivers Australia’s largest and most comprehensive pathway for creating and scaling new agtech ventures and commercializing new technologies along the entire agrifood and fiber value chain.

TEKFARM is an exciting new initiative that we launched in 2021 and we are already seeing results as we work with agtech firms. Their diners to accelerate the adoption of new technologies across Australia’s farming businesses and agricultural value chains. Since Australian planters understand the value of constant innovation, they are eager adopters of new technology and we want to encourage them to link with international startups.

AFN : How can technology boost the sustainability of the grains sector in Australia? We recognise that the contribution of start-ups to the innovation ecosystem is increasing steadily in Australia and abroad, using new technologies in applications across various industries.

Our Herbicide Innovation Partnership with Bayer is an example of GRDC working in close collaboration with international businesses in order to overcome some of these perceived barriers for the development and deployment of products and services in the Australian trade. AFN : How do we make it easier for international organizations to engage with the grains sector to undertake new trials and commercialization opportunities?

Australia unveils 2050 net-zero target with ‘technology not taxes’ approach RW : One of the key. Unique features of GrainInnovate is that the Fund has been established to invest in world leading agrifood tech startups that may be located either domestically, or internationally. CM : Both are of interest, as long as they can demonstrate that they are aligned to the priorities of Australian grain planters.