Adoption of emerging technologies in Australian agriculture is expanding at a rate faster than the consumer’s capacity to understand the opportunities – creating an urgent need to explore community perception and regulatory challenges around the use of new technologies.
This is the focus of two new AgriFutures Australia-funded reports: Emerging technologies in agriculture: Consumer perceptions around emerging agtech undertaken by GHD and AgThentic and Emerging technologies in agriculture: Regulatory and other challenges by ACIL Allen Consulting.
The reports deliver critical insights for government, industry and Rural Research and Development Corporations in the areas of regulation and community perceptions. They consider changes needed to safeguard industry use of new technologies and point out the opportunity cost of getting it wrong.
AgriFutures Australia Managing Director, John Harvey, insists Australian agriculture needs to stay ahead of the curve when it comes to understanding the potential regulatory impact of technologies, and possible negative perceptions that might prevent technology use.
“With the sector likely to increase its reliance on new technologies over the short to medium term, it’s important not to become complacent by assuming we will always have free and easy access to new technologies,” Mr Harvey said.
“These reports offer clear actions to help industry and government understand what needs to be done to support agtech adoption on our farms.
“If we don’t address these actions, the sector may be locked out of emerging technologies or be unable to capitalise on opportunities that our international competitors have access to. The reports are instrumental in identifying what the challenges and impediments are and provide practical solutions in areas that will have the greatest impact.”