ARC A/g Branch Manager Executive Strategy and Communications Ms Judy Satrapa; Professor Deborah Sweeney, Provost, Western Sydney University; Director of this ARC Training Centre Professor Oula Ghannoum, Western Sydney University; Member for Macquarie Ms Susan Templeman MP; and Distinguished Professor Brajesh Singh, Western Sydney University, at the official launch of the ARC Training Centre for Smart and Sustainable Horticulture.
Western Sydney University has launched the Australian Research Council (ARC) Training Centre for Smart and Sustainable Horticulture, a national collaboration that brings together leading universities and industry partners to advance Australia's $16 billion horticulture sector.
Based at the University's Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, the Centre represents a major investment in the future of horticulture, with $8 million committed from ARC, universities and industry over the next five years. It aims to train 30 PhD and early career researchers, equipping the next generation of horticultural practitioners with the skills and knowledge needed for a changing climate and global market demands.
The Centre is a partnership between Western Sydney University, The Australian National University, The University of Western Australia, and eight industry-leading organisations spanning seed technology, vertical farming, data analytics, agri-tech and commercialisation. It is funded under the ARC Industrial Transformation Training Centre Program (2025 to 2030).
The launch featured keynote addresses from distinguished guests, including Ms Susan Templeman MP for Macquarie, Ms Judy Satrapa, NSW Branch Manager, Australian Research Council, and industry leaders.
Protected horticulture, or protected cropping (PC), contributed approximately $2 billion to Australia's horticultural industry in 2021-2022. This method involves the production of valuable horticultural crops such as leafy greens, tomatoes, cucumber, capsicum and berries, under shelter. It allows growers to optimise conditions, manage environmental stresses, and control disease without reliance on pesticides, ensuring sustainability and maintaining Australia's clean, green reputation.
Professor Oula Ghannoum, Director of the ARC Training Centre for Smart and Sustainable Horticulture, said the Centre would play a vital role in supporting the sector's growth and resilience.
"The ARC Training Centre for Smart and Sustainable Horticulture is a unique partnership bringing together Australia's leading university-based researchers with key industry actors, leaders and early adopters," said Professor Ghannoum.
"It builds on the University's long history of agricultural education – from farming traditions at the Hawkesbury Agricultural College, and now as a national leader in protected cropping. Our mission is to build new capabilities for the horticulture industry. We will train the next generation of researchers and industry leaders to drive innovation, sustainability, and resilience for the protected cropping industry."
The Centre will deliver research through four integrated programs addressing the sector's most pressing challenges:
- Expanding the variety of high-value crops that can be grown in protected environments such as glasshouses, polytunnels and vertical farms.
- Enhancing crop health and yields through early detection of stress and disease, and improved plant microbiomes.
- Developing low-input, low-carbon solutions to help the industry achieve net-zero goals and strengthen sustainability.
- Identifying socio-economic barriers to technology adoption and improving consumer engagement to accelerate innovation uptake.
These programs will support the protected cropping sector in becoming more sustainable, technologically advanced and globally competitive, ensuring long-term resilience for the industry and securing Australia's place in the global food supply chain.
