COLLABORATION Growing the entire food sector An MLA-led cross-sectoral Sharyn Casey, Business Development project to translate Manager at Hort Innovation, an RESEARCH IN market insights into Insights2Innovation partner. REVIEW innovation opportunities “I think the agri-food industry is changing is encouraging agri-food rapidly and we’re all facing significant PROJECT NAME supply chains to collaborate for and similar challenges,” she said. Insights2Innovation market advantage. “Being cross-sectoral and being able COLLABORATORS The Insights2Innovation initiative, part to collaborate is really important for MLA, Dairy Australia, Hort of the Federal Government’s Rural horticulture and the wider sector so Innovation, Fisheries Research R&D for Profit program, focused on that we can share our ideas, knowledge, and Development Corporation, capturing market insights, identifying learnings and our people too.” Department of Economic high-value opportunities in export Development, Jobs, Transport Richard said this project is only the and Resources (Victoria), markets and helping producers and start for the sector in developing Rural Industries Research and their supply chain partners respond long-term capability to transform and Development Corporation, Wine to those opportunities. respond to disruptive innovation and Australia, Austrade, Department of By collaborating with stakeholders, commercial opportunities. Agriculture and Food (WA), CSIRO, including red meat, horticulture, wine, “We must make sure that Australian Pork Limited seafood, pork and dairy, insights were GOAL captured for the China, South-East innovation and creativity To develop new knowledge and Asian and Middle East/North is at the heart of what we deep market insights that will Africa regions. inform more strategic innovation MLA Managing Director Richard Norton do as an industry. This investment decisions and, said Insights2Innovation highlighted project will not sit on the ultimately, lead to increased value the importance of cross-sectoral shelf, and it will become a for primary products. collaboration to achieve common goals. BUDGET “Lessons learned out of the project have fundamental part of how $17 million been that the Australian agriculture we operate,” he said. sector, particularly the food sector, DURATION shares the same issues,” he said. How it worked 2015–2018 Insights2Innovation took a two- “Collaboration among the pronged approach to assist agri-food Research and Development businesses, young professionals and producers engage with new higher- Corporations, with the value opportunities at the enterprise Federal Government and individual level: funding, has delivered Value Chain Flagship Demonstrations: attributes that will help Producers and their value chain partners worked together to convert all our industries move market and consumer insights into forward around how we tangible innovation and growth options, including strategies to target get product to market and market opportunities. increase the efficiencies Young Food Innovators: Emerging of our value chain.” industry leaders in the Australian agri-food sector developed a When challenges are shared, it makes plate-to-paddock approach and built sense to work together towards their strategic value chain thinking common goals; a sentiment shared by and capability. 10