About the roadmap
The Queensland AgTech Roadmap 2023–2028 sets our vision and path to accelerate AgTech innovation and adoption in Queensland. By strengthening collaboration across the AgTech ecosystem and adopting, adapting and advancing technological innovations, Queensland will become a destination for the development and export of world-leading AgTech.
Vision
Queensland’s sustainable agri-system is a global centre for AgTech.
To achieve this, we will need to:
- Adopt—increase agribusinesses’ capability and adoption of AgTech.
- Adapt—increase commercial-ready technology that addresses key agribusiness challenges.
- Advance—enable technology transformation that benefits Queensland’s economic, social and environmental future.
Focus areas
The roadmap has 5 focus areas.
Strengthen the innovation ecosystem
A connected and collaborative innovation ecosystem that advances AgTech in Queensland.
The Queensland AgTech innovation ecosystem will:
- grow and sustain regional innovation ecosystem builders who support local businesses to scale up and commercialise innovative products, technologies and services through targeted programs
- enable extension, adoption and business support activities that increase confidence and trust in AgTech, and help agribusinesses to integrate solutions that ultimately increase resilience through sustainable growth in productivity and profitability
- establish a statewide AgTech network to share experiences and learnings and collaborate on challenges and opportunities
- boost engagement and communication activities across the innovation ecosystem to enhance awareness of programs and initiatives
- create a pathway to enhance First Nations peoples’ participation in the innovation ecosystem, particularly in the development and adoption of traceability and verification systems that protect and grow Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property
- promote and share information about Queensland’s regional innovation ecosystems, their strengths and future focus areas through regional plans.
Activate innovation infrastructure
Innovation infrastructure that supports the adaptation, adoption and export of AgTech.
The Queensland AgTech innovation ecosystem will:
- showcase AgTech innovation infrastructure on the innovation precincts and places portal and toolkit
- work with innovators and AgTech developers to ensure research and development is undertaken in an environment that is fit for purpose
- identify and create awareness of programs and initiatives that improve regional connectivity and digital solutions
- investigate approaches to increase accessibility of on-farm connectivity solutions across Queensland
- explore options to support an AgTech innovation infrastructure program to accelerate AgTech development and adoption
- amplify the Queensland Smart Farm Network to increase rates of technology adoption, adaptation and job creation in AgTech development and manufacturing.
Attract and build local capability
AgTech capability and digital literacy within the Queensland agriculture sector is increased and supported by a talent pipeline.
The Queensland AgTech Innovation ecosystem will:
- support future career pathways into AgTech by working with stakeholders to understand current and future training needs, and advocating for the inclusion of AgTech in training and skilling programs
- undertake skills and training gap analysis highlighting existing support and opportunities for future education programs and career pathways in AgTech
- promote the diversity of emerging AgTech roles to attract and retain talent and skills in Queensland
- attract the next generation talent pipeline by leveraging school programs to expose students to AgTech training and work experience
- empower agribusinesses to support First Nations innovators, entrepreneurs and new entrants to grow a career within the sector through AgTech pathways
- increase agribusinesses’ understanding of AgTech and digital literacy, including cybersecurity, and investigate approaches to increase capability through extension, training and business support services.
Connect to domestic and global opportunities
Queensland is recognised as a global leader in AgTech, and a partner of choice in sustainable production and processing of food, fibre, foliage and other bioproducts.
The Queensland AgTech Innovation ecosystem will:
- identify and foster investment and export opportunities in AgTech in Queensland
- build understanding of priority markets and key investors for Queensland AgTech
- work with key trading partners to advance Queensland as a global centre for AgTech through targeted inbound and outbound trade missions, including Brisbane 2032
- explore opportunities to showcase Queensland AgTech at global agricultural innovation events and attract major conferences to Queensland
- build export and investment capability of AgTech developers and service providers, and connect them with global networks
- clarify pathways and principles that support AgTech suppliers to achieve trade and investment outcomes.
Coordinate for action
An active Queensland AgTech innovation ecosystem underpinned by a coordinated approach to policy and programs.
The Queensland AgTech Innovation ecosystem will:
- work with stakeholders to identify barriers in strategy, policy, planning and the legislative environment to enable modern agriculture practices
- identify government datasets that will benefit the AgTech innovation ecosystem and improve producer digital literacy
- lead activities to co-design and collaborate on policy and programs across all tiers of government, relevant sectors and private enterprises
- support activities to quantify the uptake and economic impact of AgTech in Queensland
- review scope of the AgTech Advisory Group to continue to champion innovation, connect innovation ecosystem stakeholders, and attract investment to accelerate adoption and development
- coordinate across government tiers, relevant sectors and private enterprises to optimise the co-benefits of AgTech for climate, biodiversity and natural capital, and to ensure environmental legislation and nature-related risks and dependencies are considered in AgTech development and application.
Implementation plan
Over the coming years, the roadmap will evolve as we assess progress against the objectives and key initiatives, and respond to new actions, partnerships and emerging innovations to ensure our approach continues to deliver for Queensland’s agri-system.
Our implementation plan outlines the work that brings the vision to life.
What you can do
Whether you are an agribusiness looking to engage with technology, a technology developer, a farmer with ideas, or providing services to the sector, there are a range of things you can do now:
- Contact any of your local innovation hubs and networks, including the AgTech and Logistics Hub, or explore leading programs such as Farmers2Founders, if you've got ideas, or want to connect or scale-up.
- Find programs to assist people understand, adopt and unlock the potential of AgTech within their business models such as TAFE, UQ Skills and UniSQ .
- Find a range of technologies through the AgTech Finder.
- Read about the latest Queensland Smart Farm news, stories and events.
- Discover our collaborative research and development or explore Australian and global agrifood innovation on the growAG. platform.
- Learn about a range of decision-support resources and tools that support climate-resilient, sustainable agricultural production on the Queensland Future Climate Dashboard and the Long Paddock.
- Find financial assistance and investment advice through the Queensland Government AgTech Portal.
- Contact Trade and Investment Queensland for a range of support and opportunities to connect with if you are investment and export-ready.
- Investigate our AgTech Portal, evokeAG.and its social feeds for the latest developments.
AgTech stories
- Learn from Steve Pilla, a Burdekin sugarcane grower, who has become an early adopter of automated furrow irrigation across his whole farm.
- Read about Tassal’s integrated smart farm platform, Blue AgriTech.
- Read how EHS Manufacturing workplace culture shifted from being reactive in its operations to proactive and future-focused.
- Read about N-Drip and how they are revolutionising irrigation for the broadacre farm sector.
- Find out how Malakoff Station is using drones to muster cattle to reduce costs and workplace health and safety risks.
Download the roadmap
Download the Queensland AgTech Roadmap 2023–2028.
Last updated: 11 Jul 2024