Australia
July 11, 2007
Programmes that tackle climate
change, improve yield and give growers greater access to
information are among the research priorities in the
Grains Research and Development
Corporation’s (GRDC) new five-year strategic plan.
The Parliamentary Secretary to the
Minister for Agriculture,
Fisheries and Forestry, Sussan Ley, launched the GRDC’s
2007-2012 Strategic Research and Development Plan in Canberra
today and praised the corporation for its ongoing investment
targeting the big issues facing the industry.
“The R&D Plan is the foundation for the GRDC’s planning and
reporting for the next five years and encompasses the priorities
of the Australian Government and industry,” Ms Ley said.
“GRDC’s research priorities include addressing climate change by
continuing to invest in the development of more resilient grain
varieties such as plants which are drought and frost tolerant.
“Other programmes look at practical initiatives to reduce the
industry’s greenhouse gas emissions and examine the impacts of
atmospheric carbon dioxide on grain yields and quality.
“The Corporation is also tackling the national challenge of
water scarcity through strategies that will help develop ways of
maximising the profitable use of water by grain growers.”
Ms Ley said the plan, launched at the start of the GRDC’s
Investment Planning Week, was an opportunity to focus on the R&D
needed to support all aspects of the grains industry.
“This doesn’t just mean improving on-farm productivity - it
includes initiatives to exploit market opportunities and
streamline the supply chain,” she said.
“The plan will also allow GRDC to report in a consistent way
with other Research and Development Corporations (RDC) so that
stakeholders can better judge its performance.”
Ms Ley congratulated the GRDC and other RDCs for establishing a
stronger, more consistent reporting system to paint a better
picture of the impacts of their investments.
“The RDC model has undoubtedly been a success, but the
Government and industry expect improvements in the
competitiveness and sustainability of Australia’s primary
industries from their large investments in research and
development,” she said.
“It is essential that all the R&D Corporations clearly show they
are providing a strong return on investment and delivering
benefits to industry and the wider community.”
Investment Planning Week, an annual GRDC event involving
industry representatives from growers to scientists, allocates
provisional budgets for research and development in 2008-2009. |
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