Grower Group Alliance the seventh organisation to sign up to the new WA Agricultural Research Collaboration

Grower Group Alliance is the latest in a budding number of organisations to join the new WA Agricultural Research Collaboration - a new organisation hoped improve farmer-led research across the sector. Launched in July last year, the creation WA Agricultural Research Collaboration has been heralded a new era for “team WA” farm research and development with seven groups now signed up. It is hoped that by putting the heads of WA’s top agricultural researchers together, the group will be able to build on existing scientific efforts and avoid duplication across organisations. Grower Group Alliance chair Peter Roberts said its vision for a “producer-led system” of agricultural innovation aligned with the WARC’s purpose and programs of work. GGA — which is the seventh group to sign up to the WARC — has a network of more than 88 organisations connected with more than 4500 farm businesses in the State’s agriculture industry. “WA needs a strong innovative research sector closely linked with growers, to meet the challenges of agriculture now and into the future,” Mr Roberts said. “GGA is uniquely placed to strengthen the relationship between the research sector and producers, enhancing the opportunity for both public and private investment.” Other organisations already signed up to the WARC include the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, CSIRO and four universities — Curtin, ECU, Murdoch and UWA. The $35 million WARC project was bankrolled by a $25m three-year commitment by the State Government and a $10m upfront investment from the Grains Research Development Corporation. It was hoped the initiative will attract up to $10m in additional funding from its participants and other industry-based research and development corporations to bolster WA agriculture. Mr Roberts said GGA had hit the ground running with its involvement and had already provided access to leading grower groups and industry contacts to facilitate WARC programs. The first three programs are focused on northern agriculture, grains transformation and climate resilience, while others are focused on ag-tech and Aboriginal participation in agriculture. DPIRD primary industries development deputy director-general Cec McConnell, who is DPIRD’s representative on the WARC steering committee, said GGA would be an asset to the group. “Involving industry in the co-design of research programs on industry challenges is essential to ensure research is relevant and to drive development, extension and adoption,” she said. “Grower groups deliver research extension to support the on-farm decision making of their industry engagement and employment of leadership and operational staff.” The partnership was unveiled at the GRDC Grains Research Updates this week, where WA Agriculture Minister Jackie Jarvis congratulated farmers on a record 26Mt harvest. The State Government pumped $4.8m into Grower Group Alliance in 2019 in a bid to improve farmer-driven, demand-led research and innovation, and provide long-term stability. A key aim of the organisation is to provide a grower perspective to shape research efforts, which Mr Roberts said aligned with the WARC’s mission.