The CSIRO has launched ‘Innovate to Grow: Agrifood’ to foster innovation in the agrifood sector.
The free 10-week online program is designed to assist Australian SMEs in determining how they can progress their innovations, products, and ideas through R&D.
CSIRO’s Trusted Agrifood Exports Mission and Future Protein Mission support the program.
The Trusted Agrifood Exports Mission intends to boost the value of Australian food premiums by $10 billion by 2030 by instilling confidence in Australian agrifood’s safety, quality, and provenance.
The Future Protein Mission aims to capitalise on the rising worldwide demand for high-quality protein to develop innovative Australian protein products and ingredients that will generate an additional $10 billion in revenue by 2030.
The program will commence on 2 November and will be available to a limited number of SMEs in the following sub-sectors:
- Complementary proteins
- Meat and meat processing
- Agriculture
- Aquaculture
- Livestock
- Beverage and/or fermentation
- Food product manufacturing
- Other sub-sectors considered
Trusted Agrifood Exports Mission Lead Dr Ryan McAllister said SMEs will be critical in transforming the agrifood sector, and the program will provide them with the means to do so.
“This initiative represents a step toward modernising how supply chains support agricultural exports, with programs such as Innovate to Grow set to equip SMEs with the insight required to play a part in achieving this mission,” Dr McAllister stated.
“Our mission is centred around helping producers get their products into discerning markets that are willing to pay a premium for Australian quality and safety, fortified with trusted data that upholds our national brand,” Dr McAllister added.
CSIRO’s SME Collaboration Manager Dr Monika Szabo urged SMEs to utilise the opportunity to convert their ideas into commercially viable solutions and understand the benefits of R&D.
“Over the course of this program, CSIRO and industry sector experts will equip you with the skills to assess the viability of your innovation, build a business case and prepare a strong funding application,” Dr Szabo stated.
After completing the program, qualified participants may be able to get facilitation support from CSIRO to connect to research experts nationally, as well as dollar-matched R&D funding.
Expressions of interest are now being accepted for the CSIRO’s Innovate to Grow: Agrifood program, which will close on Sunday, 15 October 2023.
