A new AgriFutures Australia funded report Accelerating the development of agtech solutions worth adopting, by advisory firm AgThentic, addresses the knowledge gaps in relation to Australia’s agtech ecosystem, specifically in relation to how farmers interact with, and adopt, agtech solutions.
The report acknowledges the barriers farmers face interacting with agtech and seeks to highlight opportunities for entrepreneurs, farmers, researchers and the service sector to understand the needs of each group and build relationships to drive the development of better technologies in the agricultural sector.
AgriFutures Australia Program Manager, Research and Innovation, Jennifer Medway said the report is key to unpacking how all parts of the agtech ecosystem can better work together to achieve mutual benefits.
“Australia is on the cusp of realising the opportunities agtech brings. To date we have focused on the end product, the deal flow or technologies themselves; this report offers new insights into the engagement model between end users and startups, and highlights opportunities to improve technology development for the sector,” said Ms Medway.
AgThentic’s Sarah Nolet offers a global perspective on the agtech ecosystem and is quick to point out that agtech is well and truly on the map in Australia.
“The new wave of innovators, products and services rolling out across the globe are ripe for the picking and have big potential to help Australian agriculture increase profitability, meet changing consumer demands, reduce negative environmental impacts and create new career opportunities in regional communities,” said Ms Nolet.
“What we need to work on, though, is harnessing the momentum and pointing it toward the development of solutions that solve real problems for farmers. Entrepreneurs and new technologies can bring value to Australian agriculture, but they cannot do it alone.”
