Grower Group Alliance
Grower Group Alliance

Innovation Hub expansion program

Program overview

In 2022, the Australian Government provided the South-West WA Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub (SW WA Hub) with $2.5 million to enable it to expand its remit beyond drought under the Agricultural Innovation Hubs Program.

A total of 10 exciting and diverse projects were rolled out, with focus areas ranging from paddock-level carbon benchmarking, through to drone‐mounted grazing monitoring for the southern rangelands and improved vineyard floor management.

Co‐contributions to the short‐term projects have been provided by SW WA Hub Consortium Partners which successfully applied for a targeted and competitive grant opportunity through the Hub.

“These projects are great news for agriculture in the South‐West WA agricultural region and align with National Agricultural Innovation priorities targeting exports, climate resilience, biosecurity and digital agriculture,” SW WA Hub Director Mark Holland said when funding was announced. 

“Innovation and collaboration are critical to unlocking step‐changes in productivity and profitability for farmers and their communities, and these initiatives will help the Hub to deliver on this key aim.”

Inside the South-West WA Drought Hub’s Innovation Program

The Connect magazine showcases the results and impacts of the ten industry-focused innovation projects initiated by the SW WA Hub.

Click the image to download a PDF version of the magazine. 

Explore the projects

Lupin seed and flake

Value added lupin exports

This project supported the establishment of an incorporated lupin value‐adding syndicate to advance the production and export of lupin food ingredients, finished food products and concentrated livestock feeds.
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Drone mounted species recognition

The project utilised a drone‐mounted species recognition system to locate and visually record feral animal species that contribute negatively to total grazing pressure.
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Paddock level carbon benchmarking

This project supported the development and implementation of Clean Energy Council‐approved University of Melbourne carbon calculator within a cloud‐based data capture and benchmarking platform.
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Developing automated technology to assess natural capital on pastoral leases

This project aimed to digitise the measurement, management, and processing of biodiversity and soil organic carbon through the establishment of an in‐field methodology with readily available devices.
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Reducing technical barriers for malting barley market access using innovative technology

This project supported a faster pathway to market and market acceptance of new higher yielding malting barley varieties, generating value to barley growers, barley breeders and the entire barley industry.
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Avondale First People’s Traditional Produce Innovation and Manufacturing Hub

The project facilitated ongoing wattle seed research and product development, a more expansive harvest and enabling products to be available for purchase.
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Supporting the adoption of biodegradable mulch technology in vegetable and perennial fruit enterprises

Assessing CSIRO’s sprayable biodegradable membrane to improve irrigation efficiency, reduce herbicide and plastic use, support sustainable horticulture in South West WA.
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Implementing improved vineyard floor management for premium grape production in a warm and dry Mediterranean climate

This project tested and demonstrated whether cover crops can be used in vineyards to address future drought and temperature change challenges.
Read more

Agtech decoded: growers critically analysing the role of new technology in on-farm decision making

This project assessed the ability of modern data analytics to address farming system challenges and improve in-season decision making when faced with a variable climate.
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Digital Edge: Next generation agribusiness analytics for the Eastern Wheatbelt

Deploying the next generation of agribusiness models aimed at improving climate resilience in the eastern wheatbelt of WA by targeting profitability and sustainability at paddock, farm and farm enterprise scale.
Read more

News

  • Article, Field Notes, Regional Nodes, Water quality testing

Supporting farmers with water quality testing in Merredin

On Tuesday 11 February, the SW WA Hub’s newest extension team members, Mary-Anne and Cassie, headed east to the DPIRD Research Station in Merredin – probes and calibration solutions in tow. During their visit, they teamed up with staff from MADFIG and DPIRD to deliver a hands-on workshop on water quality testing.
Read more

Resources

External resources

Start date:
07/04/2022
End date:
29/02/2024
Status:
Project lead:
SW WA Hub
Funder:
DAFF – Innovation Expansion Grants
Partners:
DPIRD, Sweet Lupin Western Australia, Southern Rangelands Pastoral Alliance (SRPA), Autonomous Technology, RPAWA, Farmanco, Aglytica, AxisTech, Challa Station, AEGIC, Noongar Land Enterprise Group (NLE), Commonland, Wide Open Agriculture, CSIRO, University of Western Australia (UWA), Cape Mentelle, Plantagenet Wines, Sunny Valley Vineyard, Graeme-Roscic Estates, Wines of WA, Agricultural Produce Commission, Liebe Group, Stirlings to Coast Farmers, Curtin University, Far Eastern Agricultural Research Group (FEAR), WA No-Tillage Farmers Association (WANTFA)
Hub role:
Broker, Project management
Commodity:
Broadacre cropping, Dairy, Horticulture and viticulture, Livestock, Mixed farming
Resilience type:
Relevant region:
Lower South West, Mid West & Gascoyne Coastal, Southern Rangelands, Wheatbelt
  • Start date:07/04/2022
  • End date:29/02/2024
  • Status Completed
  • Project lead:SW WA Hub
  • Founder:DAFF – Future Drought, Fund - GRANT NAME, Murdoch University, WA Agricultural Research Collaboration (WAARC)
  • Hub role:Broker, Project management
  • Commodity: Broadacre cropping, Dairy, Horticulture and viticulture, Livestock, Mixed farming
  • Relevant region: Lower South West, Mid West & Gascoyne Coastal, Southern Rangelands, Wheatbelt