Science Summit at United Nations General Assembly (UNGA78)

Agriculture serves as a foundational pillar of Australia's economy, deeply intertwined with its cultural
identity. The nation contributes7.5% of global agricultural land use. With Australia, the sector
encompasses 55% of Australia's land area, drawing upon 24% of its water extractions. Furthermore,
while contributing to 2.5% of the country's value-added GDP and employment, it accounts for 11.6%
of goods and services export earnings by exporting 72% of domestic agriculture production. Over the
past two decades, the agricultural sector has witnessed a 59% increase in gross (real) value. These
gains stand as a testament to the industry's dedication to productivity enhancement. Such
advancements have proven invaluable, providing a cushion against the challenges posed by
prolonged fluctuations in commodity prices. In essence, this resilient growth trajectory ensures a
secure position for producers in the face of long-term price volatilities.
However, Australia’s agriculture grapples with multifaceted challenges, ranging from climate
variability and resource depletion to evolving consumer demands and global market dynamics, while
remaining one of the hardest to abate sectors with respect to emissions. Agriculture in Australia is a
significant source of emissions and is highly trade exposed. Achieving significant change requires
aligning interests of government, industry and society and demands synchronous changes in policies,
technologies and implementation capability. Such moves towards directional innovation are being
advanced to address multiple societal goals simultaneously.
The SDGs serve as a universal framework for addressing pressing global challenges and advancing a
set of broad-ranging and integrated goals. For Australian agriculture, pertinent targets include zero
hunger (SDG 2), clean water and sanitation (SDG 6), climate action (SDG 13), life on land (SDG 15),
and responsible consumption and production (SDG 12). The sector's interdependence with natural
resources, coupled with the imperative to meet these SDGs, necessitates a comprehensive
revaluation of its practices and policies. Factors such as technology adoption, resource management,
and stakeholder engagement play pivotal roles. Delineating the extent to which existing systems
align with the SDGs is a complex undertaking that requires a holistic examination of infrastructure,
practices, and policy.
Innovation emerges as a linchpin for catalysing the transition toward sustainable agricultural
practices. From precision agriculture and agroecological techniques to supply chain optimization and
renewable energy integration, innovation spans a spectrum of opportunities. As Australian
agriculture navigates the path to sustainability, a crucial question arises: Is current innovation policy
sufficiently equipped to guide the sector in the right direction? There is a growing consensus that
while successful in achieving short term incremental goals its ability to bring about more
transformative innovation needed to address the ‘cross-industry, long-term grand societal
challenges’ remains questionable.
An emerging question is whether the agricultural and food sectors should continue to address grand
societal challenges independently or whether a more integrated approach within the food and
national innovation systems is needed. This panel brings to perspective from two major Australian

public sector organisations aiming to support directed innovation for sustainability. Department of
Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) and The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research
Organisation (CSIRO) have a set of programs and projects which variously aim to shift innovation
policy, re-format innovation action and build greater capability to do so. These include CSIRO
Missions and Future Science Platforms and internal DAFF projects to explore options for agricultural
innovation policy.
The panel brings together key figures from Australia's agricultural policy domain to deliberate on
significant topics, encompassing (but not limited to) the following:
1. Conceptual issues: Exploring how to define and examine the wide array of innovative
endeavours addressing environmental and social sustainability challenges faced by
Australian agriculture.
2. Innovation Policy: Analysing the traits of Australia's agricultural innovation policy. Is the
present policy adequately equipped to guide the sector? Are appropriate mechanisms for
policy coordination in place?
3. Stakeholder Preparedness: Recognizing that change isn't always embraced, assessing the
willingness and capacity of stakeholders within Australian agriculture to engage and support
the transition.
4. Learning Opportunities: Identifying the lessons that Australian agriculture can glean from
this process, as well as the potential for sharing insights with other nations undergoing a
similar journey.