The 2026-27 Federal Budget, presented last night by Treasurer Chalmers, has allocated A$111 million to the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR). An additional A$8.3 million will be sourced from external funding partners, including the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT).
ACIAR supports Australia's national interests by investing in international agricultural research partnerships that reduce poverty and improve livelihoods in the Indo-Pacific and Africa.
We achieve this through excellence in research, partnerships and coordinated engagement across an international network that is efficient, effective and responsive to the needs of our partners.
We work bilaterally and multilaterally with governments and institutions to improve food security, reduce poverty, promote sustainable natural resource management and climate-resilient agriculture, enhance nutrition and human health, advance gender equality, strengthen inclusive agrifood and forestry value chains, and build scientific and policy capability in partner countries.
We deliver outcomes across resource-based sectors such as crops, fisheries, horticulture, livestock and forestry. This requires a strong scientific focus on agronomy, plant genetics, livestock production, agribusiness, social systems, soil and land management, water and climate.
In line with Australia's International Development Policy, we continue to prioritise deeper consultation with our partners and strengthen Australia's engagement with research institutions, universities and international organisations. We deliver investments that reflect changing country and regional priorities, are targeted and locally led, and prioritise the knowledge transfer and local retention needed to optimise next generation economic, social and environmental benefits.
Our investments have a strong focus on climate change, building resilience in rural communities and empowering our research partners to lead climate adaptation and mitigation efforts. Engaging collaboratively with partners, we endeavour to integrate gender equality and social inclusion across all research and capacity building programs.
To foster continuous learning and guide future investments, ACIAR programs will be measured with contemporary impact evaluation assessments and promoted through targeted public outreach activities.
Full details of country priorities and programs are on ACIAR website.
