RICE 
73 pages
Published: 19 May 2026
Author(s): Brinkhoff, J., McGavin, S., Jha, S., Groat, M.
ISBN: 978-1-76053-627-5
Download report PDF
DownloadPurchase a hard copy - AUD $45
The Australian rice industry is a world leader in land and water productivity and has low emissions intensity. However, it faces growing pressure from variable water supply, changing weather and the need to measure and reduce emissions. In addition, growers must compete with the returns from other crops.
As a result, the AgriFutures Rice Program strategic plan (2021-2026) set a clear water productivity target of 1.5 tonnes per megalitre. Achieving this target requires progress across agronomy, breeding, technology use and farming systems. This project directly responded by developing practical decision-support tools for real-time rice crop monitoring.
The tools use satellite imagery and weather-based models and are built on decades of Australian rice research. Importantly, they draw on proven knowledge of water and nitrogen management, variety performance, crop growth stages and yield drivers. Using this foundation, the project trained accurate machine learning models with data collected over four rice seasons from 2022 to 2025.
Data came from commercial fields, NSW DPIRD trials, Sentinel‑2 satellites and SunRice production records. Together, these sources supported reliable paddock-level predictions of crop growth, nitrogen uptake, grain moisture and yield.
Finally, the insights were delivered through daily online dashboards for growers and agronomists. Consequently, users made better and more timely decisions, improving productivity and efficiency. With more than 85% adoption in the Riverina, the tools also support industry planning, emissions reporting and long-term sustainability.
This project delivered real-time rice crop monitoring tools using satellite imagery and weather-driven models to support Australian rice growers. Grounded in decades of agronomy research,...
The Rice Breeding Australia 2025 Annual Report highlights a year of significant progress in transforming Australia’s rice breeding program.
This report acts as a detailed snapshot of the season, guidebook for rice growers, a reference guide for researchers and an educational resource for other...
Water availability remains the defining challenge for the Australian rice industry, particularly in the southern Murray-Darling Basin where secure irrigation is essential for rice production....
The Australian rice industry, particularly in the southern Murray-Darling Basin, faces a critical challenge as water availability remains the greatest threat to the industry’s future....
This report delivers the first robust, field-based greenhouse gas (GHG) emission datasets specific to Australian rice. Key themes – How different water management practises—ranging from...
Rice farming contributes significantly to the regional economies of the Riverina region of New South Wales (NSW) and has a pivotal role in the agriculture...
The Australian rice industry must maximise water productivity to stay competitive as the cost and demand for irrigation water increases. Water productivity is increasing as...
