Australia’s food and fibre industries face three major challenges: climate change, food waste, and increased demand driven by population growth. A range of research projects and industry-government-university partnerships are actively developing solutions.
VCAA FOCUS: Students should be able to name specific organisations and projects, explain the challenge they address, and evaluate the proposed solutions.
Australia is one of the most climatically variable countries on Earth. Changing rainfall patterns, increased drought frequency, extreme heat events, and rising sea levels all threaten agricultural productivity.
CSIRO Agriculture and Food
- Australia’s national science agency leads numerous programs:
- Developing drought-tolerant and heat-resistant crop varieties (wheat, sorghum, cotton)
- Climate adaptation modelling — projecting how crop yields will change under different warming scenarios
- Research into livestock feed additives (e.g., Asparagopsis seaweed) to reduce methane emissions from cattle
Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC)
- Funds research into drought-tolerant wheat varieties
- Supports agronomic practices that reduce soil moisture loss (e.g., minimum tillage)
- Developed the Crop Sequence Calculator — a decision-support tool helping farmers choose crops that maximise water-use efficiency
Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA) — Carbon Neutral 2030 (CN30)
- Industry target: make the red meat sector carbon neutral by 2030
- Research into soil carbon sequestration on grazing lands
- Adoption of improved pasture species that capture more carbon
Cotton Research and Development Corporation (CRDC)
- Cotton is one of Australia’s most water-efficient crops (per kg produced)
- Research into precision irrigation, smart meters, and deficit irrigation strategies
KEY TAKEAWAY: Research into climate adaptation focuses on both mitigation (reducing emissions) and adaptation (adjusting practices to cope with changed conditions).
CSIRO — Food Waste Research
- Digital agriculture apps that forecast crop yield, allowing producers to plan harvest and distribution more efficiently
- Post-harvest research into improved storage conditions (atmosphere control, packaging technologies)
- Consumer behaviour research — understanding why households waste food and how to change habits
Fight Food Waste Cooperative Research Centre (CRC)
- Industry-university-government partnership
- Projects include:
- Converting vegetable waste into high-value food ingredients
- Improving supply chain logistics to reduce spoilage
- Shelf-life extension technologies for fresh produce
Horticulture Innovation Australia (Hort Innovation)
- Funds R&D across the horticulture supply chain
- Projects on modified atmosphere packaging, pre-cooling of horticultural produce, and improved cold chain management
Practical example: CSIRO worked with supermarket chains to develop algorithms that predict demand and reduce over-ordering, cutting waste at the retail end of the supply chain.
EXAM TIP: Distinguish between on-farm waste (produce not harvested due to cosmetic standards or price signals) and post-harvest waste (spoilage, over-ordering). Solutions differ for each.
The Future Food Systems CRC
- A national cooperative research centre linking universities, industry, and government
- Projects include urban food systems, plant-based proteins, and circular economy models
Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR)
- Funds projects in Asia-Pacific to improve food security in partner countries
- Benefits Australian exports by developing new markets and technical relationships
CSIRO — Reshaping Australian Food Systems
- Scenario modelling of how Australia can feed a growing population sustainably
- South-East Queensland regional food system pilot: planning production, processing, transport, and waste together for a region projected to exceed 6 million people by 2046
Plant protein research (pulses, lupin, chickpea)
- GRDC and university partners breed higher-yielding, better-quality pulse crops for domestic consumption and export to Asia
- Australia is a major exporter of chickpeas, lentils, and lupins — crops that can help meet rising global protein demand sustainably
APPLICATION: Consider how a single research outcome — e.g., a new drought-tolerant wheat variety — addresses multiple challenges simultaneously: it helps farmers cope with climate change while maintaining yield to meet demand.
When evaluating a research project or partnership, consider:
| Criterion | Questions to Ask |
|---|---|
| Scientific rigour | Is the research evidence-based? Peer-reviewed? |
| Scalability | Can it be adopted widely, or just by large operations? |
| Economic viability | Is it affordable for producers? |
| Environmental sustainability | Does it reduce environmental impact? |
| Social acceptance | Will consumers accept the outcome? |
| Timeframe | How long before benefits are realised? |
COMMON MISTAKE: Students often present research projects as automatically successful. A strong evaluation acknowledges potential barriers: cost, time, regulatory approval, or unexpected side effects.
Australia has a robust network of research bodies, industry organisations, and university partnerships working on the major challenges facing food and fibre production. Key organisations include CSIRO, GRDC, MLA, Hort Innovation, and multiple CRCs. Their work spans climate adaptation, food waste reduction, and sustainable intensification to meet growing global demand — but success requires careful evaluation of both scientific effectiveness and practical adoption barriers.
