WA agricultural industry can meet global challenges with better collaboration and networking

Improving on-farm climate resilience and industry collaboration and connectivity to “feed the world and save the planet at the same time” were some of the main themes presented at the Grower Group Alliance Forum 23 conference.

About 150 attendees at the conference, held at the Joondalup Resort on Friday, July 28, included farmers, agricultural college and ag science university students, as well as grower group members from around the State and members of the WA Agricultural Research Collaboration.

Grower Group Alliance chief executive Rikki Foss addressed the conference with figures suggesting the earth was projected to have about 9.7 billion people by 2050, requiring 50 per cent more food, 55 per cent more water and 35 per cent more energy than was currently produced globally.

“These numbers are quite alarming and the challenge remains,” Ms Foss said.

“How do we as WA agriculture step up to take our place in the global community to help achieve that, while using the same amount of land?”

Ms Foss said the world was in “a state of change” and to help cope with it and position the industry better to meet the challenges of the future there needed to be greater “collaboration and networking” — which was something the GGA was good at.

She said the challenges impacting the sector were “in our hands”.

“What happens next is also in our hands,” Ms Foss said.

GGA stakeholder and communications manager Kallista Bolton said only 53 per cent of WA farmers had been members of a grower group in 2017 and some farmers since then had unfortunately “disengaged with their grower group to carry out their own research on farm”, which was contrary to the idea of a supportive and encouraging learning environment.

She said groups needed to “value what (their members) are doing” and “remain supportive” because other farmers may be able to benefit from their research.

Conference attendees heard about the latest research projects being undertaken in WA from the South West Drought Hub, an overview of the new Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act and the responsibility on landowners, as well as lots of encouragement to change the mindset and broaden the knowledge base to ensure on farm decisions were made with the best knowledge available.