About the roadmap
The Queensland AgTech Roadmap 2023–2028 sets our vision and path to accelerate AgTech innovation and adoption in Queensland. By strengthening collaboration across the AgTech ecosystem and adopting, adapting and advancing technological innovations, Queensland will become a destination for the development and export of world-leading AgTech.
Vision
Queensland’s sustainable agri-system is a global centre for AgTech.
To achieve this, we will need to:
- Adopt—increase agribusinesses’ capability and adoption of AgTech.
- Adapt—increase commercial-ready technology that addresses key agribusiness challenges.
- Advance—enable technology transformation that benefits Queensland’s economic, social and environmental future.
Focus areas
The roadmap has 5 focus areas.
Strengthen the innovation ecosystem
A connected and collaborative innovation ecosystem that advances AgTech in Queensland.
The Queensland AgTech innovation ecosystem will:
- grow and sustain regional innovation ecosystem builders who support local businesses to scale up and commercialise innovative products, technologies and services through targeted programs
- enable extension, adoption and business support activities that increase confidence and trust in AgTech, and help agribusinesses to integrate solutions that ultimately increase resilience through sustainable growth in productivity and profitability
- establish a statewide AgTech network to share experiences and learnings and collaborate on challenges and opportunities
- boost engagement and communication activities across the innovation ecosystem to enhance awareness of programs and initiatives
- create a pathway to enhance First Nations peoples’ participation in the innovation ecosystem, particularly in the development and adoption of traceability and verification systems that protect and grow Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property
- promote and share information about Queensland’s regional innovation ecosystems, their strengths and future focus areas through regional plans.
Activate innovation infrastructure
Innovation infrastructure that supports the adaptation, adoption and export of AgTech.
The Queensland AgTech innovation ecosystem will:
- showcase AgTech innovation infrastructure on the innovation precincts and places portal and toolkit
- work with innovators and AgTech developers to ensure research and development is undertaken in an environment that is fit for purpose
- identify and create awareness of programs and initiatives that improve regional connectivity and digital solutions
- investigate approaches to increase accessibility of on-farm connectivity solutions across Queensland
- explore options to support an AgTech innovation infrastructure program to accelerate AgTech development and adoption
- amplify the Queensland Smart Farm Network to increase rates of technology adoption, adaptation and job creation in AgTech development and manufacturing.
Attract and build local capability
AgTech capability and digital literacy within the Queensland agriculture sector is increased and supported by a talent pipeline.
The Queensland AgTech Innovation ecosystem will:
- support future career pathways into AgTech by working with stakeholders to understand current and future training needs, and advocating for the inclusion of AgTech in training and skilling programs
- undertake skills and training gap analysis highlighting existing support and opportunities for future education programs and career pathways in AgTech
- promote the diversity of emerging AgTech roles to attract and retain talent and skills in Queensland
- attract the next generation talent pipeline by leveraging school programs to expose students to AgTech training and work experience
- empower agribusinesses to support First Nations innovators, entrepreneurs and new entrants to grow a career within the sector through AgTech pathways
- increase agribusinesses’ understanding of AgTech and digital literacy, including cybersecurity, and investigate approaches to increase capability through extension, training and business support services.
Connect to domestic and global opportunities
Queensland is recognised as a global leader in AgTech, and a partner of choice in sustainable production and processing of food, fibre, foliage and other bioproducts.
The Queensland AgTech Innovation ecosystem will:
- identify and foster investment and export opportunities in AgTech in Queensland
- build understanding of priority markets and key investors for Queensland AgTech
- work with key trading partners to advance Queensland as a global centre for AgTech through targeted inbound and outbound trade missions, including Brisbane 2032
- explore opportunities to showcase Queensland AgTech at global agricultural innovation events and attract major conferences to Queensland
- build export and investment capability of AgTech developers and service providers, and connect them with global networks
- clarify pathways and principles that support AgTech suppliers to achieve trade and investment outcomes.
Coordinate for action
An active Queensland AgTech innovation ecosystem underpinned by a coordinated approach to policy and programs.
The Queensland AgTech Innovation ecosystem will:
- work with stakeholders to identify barriers in strategy, policy, planning and the legislative environment to enable modern agriculture practices
- identify government datasets that will benefit the AgTech innovation ecosystem and improve producer digital literacy
- lead activities to co-design and collaborate on policy and programs across all tiers of government, relevant sectors and private enterprises
- support activities to quantify the uptake and economic impact of AgTech in Queensland
- review scope of the AgTech Advisory Group to continue to champion innovation, connect innovation ecosystem stakeholders, and attract investment to accelerate adoption and development
- coordinate across government tiers, relevant sectors and private enterprises to optimise the co-benefits of AgTech for climate, biodiversity and natural capital, and to ensure environmental legislation and nature-related risks and dependencies are considered in AgTech development and application.
Next steps
The roadmap is a strategic framework to encourage connections, collaboration and collective efforts to grow agriculture, AgTech and the agri-system in Queensland. To deliver on the vision, we are building on existing success—we have a strong foundation for key initiatives. We invite shared leadership and investment across all levels of government, and genuine collaboration with our partners.
Over the coming years, the roadmap will evolve as we assess progress against the objectives and key initiatives, and respond to new actions, partnerships and emerging innovations to ensure our approach continues to deliver for Queensland’s agri-system.
It is essential to remain nimble in a fast-moving technology environment, working with innovators to explore and test new ideas, then adapting and improving to build on what works.
Government will continue to play a key role in Queensland’s AgTech innovation ecosystem to:
- ensure the provision of trusted, independent AgTech knowledge alongside innovation and extension brokers, suppliers and growers leading change
- connect, collaborate and coordinate across the AgTech innovation ecosystem
- de-risk decisions for both the AgTech user to accelerate adoption, and the AgTech developer to support innovation
- provide an enabling framework and infrastructure that supports innovation investment, including the Queensland Smart Farms network
- support capability growth across the agri-system to adapt, adopt and advance AgTech
- foster a growth and innovation mindset, remaining technology agnostic, and keeping people at the centre of everything we do.
Detailed action planning is ongoing, with many key programs, projects and activities led by stakeholders across the AgTech innovation ecosystem well underway, while more are in development.
The Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games provide a significant opportunity for Queensland to showcase its high-quality agricultural produce and leverage global AgTech expertise. The Queensland Government’s planning is well underway to ensure the opportunities are converted to impact.
In a highly dynamic context where change is the only constant, we will use the AgTech portal to ensure stakeholders remain up to date and well informed on this journey.
What can you do now
Whether you are an agribusiness looking to engage with technology, a technology developer, a farmer with ideas, or providing services to the sector, there are a range of things you can do now to grow your journey:
- Got ideas, want to connect and scale-up? Contact any of your local innovation hubs and networks to connect with your local community, including the AgTech and Logistics Hub, or explore leading programs such as Farmers2Founders to expand your horizons.
- What upskilling is available? A range of programs exist to assist people to understand, adopt and unlock the potential of AgTech within their business models such as TAFE, UQ Skills, UniSQ and other opportunities.
- What tech is available now? Find a range of technologies through the AgTech Portal and AgTech Finder.
- Looking to find ways to adapt to a changing and more variable climate? A range of decision-support resources and tools to support climate-resilient, sustainable agricultural production can be found on the Queensland Future Climate Dashboard and the Long Paddock.
- Are there grant opportunities? Stay in touch with financial assistance through the Queensland Government AgTech portal and the Queensland Government Grants Finder.
- Looking to invest or going global? If you are investment and export-ready, contact Trade and Investment Queensland for a range of support and opportunities to connect with.
- Want to stay up to date with the latest developments? Investigate DAF’s AgTech Portal, evokeAG and its social feeds.
AgTech stories
- Learn from Steve Pilla, a Burdekin sugarcane grower, who has become an early adopter of automated furrow irrigation across his whole farm.
- Read about Tassal’s integrated smart farm platform, Blue AgriTech.
- Read how EHS Manufacturing workplace culture shifted from being reactive in its operations to proactive and future-focused.
- Read how Kengoon Farming adopts different types of technology to improve its vegetable farming.
- Read about N-Drip and how they are revolutionising irrigation for the broadacre farm sector.
- Find out how Malakoff Station is using drones to muster cattle to reduce costs and workplace health and safety risks.
- Find out how TomKat Global Solutions is revolutionising cold chain packaging, generating jobs and helping the environment.
Download the roadmap
Download the Queensland AgTech Roadmap 2023–2028.
Last updated: 12 Jan 2024