The NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) and leading thinkers from business, industry and academia will join forces this week to work through some of the challenges facing modern agriculture, at the inaugural DPI Grand Challenge.
This is the first in a series of events that will take place over the next four years, designed to help address the big issues facing Australian primary industries.
DPI's Group Director Business Development and Innovation, Bruce Finney, said the first Grand Challenge will build a network of organisations to advance the understanding of traceability and identify innovative solutions for food traceability.
"We're constantly searching for new and better ways of doing things – that's why we're bringing together groups of expert collaborators to ambitiously solve complex questions," said Mr Finney.
"In this first challenge, we're focusing on food traceability; for example, how do we build a traceability system that meets the needs of today and helps position Australian agriculture to take advantage of tomorrow's opportunities?
"Increasingly consumers around the world are demanding to know more about the products they buy, including information about food safety, pest and disease risk, provenance, environmental sustainability, authenticity and animal welfare.
"A strong traceability system helps us provide the information that consumers are seeking, helps us showcase the origins and quality of our produce, enhances trust in Australian products and providing our farmers with a competitive advantage."
The Grand Challenge program aligns with the goals of the DPI's 2019-23 Strategic Plan, the transformational outcomes envisaged under its 2050 principles, as well as its objectives to improve innovation and increase the impact of R&D through public and private partnerships.
The DPI Grand Challenge will be held on 14-15 November at the Start Up Hub in Sydney; more information can be found at launch.innovation.nsw.gov.au/TheGrandChallenge.
