Australian agriculture and horticulture relies on pollination from honey bees. It’s estimated that 65 per cent of horticultural and agricultural crops produced in Australia require pollination services. Some of the most important questions and concerns currently facing pollination-dependent industries will be answered in an Australian first, multi-million dollar research project.
AgriFutures Australia has been awarded a grant through the second round of the Australian Government’s Rural R&D for Profit Programme to deliver the project called Securing Pollination for More Productive Agriculture: Guidelines for effective pollinator management and stakeholder adoption. This project will support collaboration between Australia’s most knowledgeable bee and pollination researchers to assess the contribution of pollinators to nine Australian crops (apples pears, lucerne, almonds, canola, melons, blueberries, raspberries and mangoes), investigate re-establishing native vegetation to support pollinator food and nesting resources, and use new technologies to communicate the findings to farmers.
Developing strategies to enhance productivity and profitability, the project will provide detailed scientific information on pollinator effectiveness and densities, bee movements, and pollination distances. The assessment of pollinator habitats, particularly foraging and nesting plants, will also assist in developing strategies against the Varroa mite.
Project funding
This project is supported by funding from the Australian Government Department of Agriculture and Water Resources as part of its Rural R&D for Profit program. Under the Rural R&D for Profit Program, AgriFutures Australia received:
Grant funding: $5,255,000
Cash contributions from partners: $3,409,447
In-kind contributions from partners: $5,135,457
Total project resources: $13,799,904
Project partners
Contact
Paul Blackshaw
Project Manager
Secure Pollination for More Productive Agriculture & Honey Bee Genetic Improvement Program (Contractor)
0427 546 643
Paul.Blackshaw@agrifutures.com.au
