Plenary Papers
Professor Annette Cowie
Principal Research Scientist - Climate, NSW Department of Primary Industries
Adjunct Professor, University of New England
Meeting the Net Zero challenge: a key role for the land sector
2022 Donald Oration
Dr Brian Keating
Adjunct Professor
QAAFI: The University of Queensland: CSIRO
From white pegs to silicon chips: Fifty years (1973 - 2022) of Australian agronomy
Professor Laurie Drinkwater
Cornell College of Agriculture and Life Science
Using cover crops to optimize nutrient cycling processes and restore soil health - paper to be provided
Professor Franck Dayan
Colorado State University
A paper is not available for this presentation
Dr Steve Hatfield- Dodds
EY Associate Principal, EY Port Jackson Partners
Megatrends shaping Australian agricultural systems
Australian agricultural systems will be shaped by multiple interacting events and megatrends over coming decades. This will create opportunities and challenges for all food and fibre businesses and industries, and for the communities and landscapes which host them. This presentation will review five key megatrends, and conclude with some observations and advice for people who are interested in seeking to improve system-level outcomes, by working effectively within the system you are trying to change. Trend economic growth in emerging economies, particularly in Asia, will lift incomes, expectations, and economic capacity. Three billion newly empowered consumers will demand higher volumes and quality of food and fibre, including more diverse diets and more protein – with rising expectations for health and sustainability. Deep shifts in economic, military and cultural power will continue to reshape the world. Geopolitics will become increasingly fractal, making food and fibre markets, global supply chains and trade relationships more complex. The race for advantage will continue to drive farming systems to achieve more from less. Ongoing innovation will be required to improve productivity and more efficient use of materials, energy, water, land and labour. But the benefits of change will not be shared evenly, exacerbating pressures on rural industries and regional communities, and often benefiting consumers more than producers. Cascading changes in climate and earth systems will accelerate, creating multiple risks and challenges, and some opportunities. Agriculture is already impacted, and adapting. Extreme events will become more frequent, along with more volatile commodity prices. Emerging markets for carbon and ecosystem services could transform landscapes and business models. Technology will disrupt existing practices, redistributing economic power, and creating new players and niches. Data and digital, automation, genetics, and synthetics will change how food and fibre products are made, marketed, and delivered. Supply chain players will need become more agile and interconnected, requiring new skills and partnerships. Food and agriculture systems will remain central to human health and wellbeing, rural communities, and landscapes, and the planetary systems and natural assets that underpin all life. The threats and opportunities have perhaps never been greater.