Skip to content

Agri-Food Research Network Australia

Agri-Food Research Network is a platform comprising New Zealand and Australian scientists that take on research on the social, economic, environmental, and cultural implications food systems. It provides an open platform for researchers interested in food, agriculture and the rural sector. Ever since it was established in 1992 it has held regular research conferences annually and published papers on areas cutting across various purposes such as:

  • The Promotion of innovations based on sectoral needs across various food-related issues.
  • Fostering debate and information sharing between researchers and other stakeholders in the food sector.
  • Providing an avenue to develop post-graduate students and help academics that are still at the early stages of their career.
 

Our vision is to provide a robust research base to facilitate decision making on policy subjects of agriculture, sustainable farming practices as well as food security. We aim to facilitate the creation of sustainable, resilient and equitable farming systems that have positive social and environmental impacts.

We also aim to use research to stimulate problem solving with respect to improving productivity, profitability and sustainability in livestock production, cropping, aquaculture, horticulture and the food industry.

Our Partners

The total world population today is estimated at over seven billion people. Regardless of geographical, national, and continental differences, there is one unique trait that connects them all — they all want to eat. In a controversial twist of the plot, one discovers that the planet just doesn’t jump in size as humans do in numbers. It doesn’t procreate its space, rather, it pretty much stays the same. So, it is basically up to us to determine how to reconcile the mathematical dissonance between population growth and scant resources in a way that everyone gets a satisfactory quota on his plate.

 

Food is an essential feature of everyday life. At offices where everyone seems to be so efficient and astoundingly capable; on the streets where people are in alarming haste to catch the bus or meet appointments; even in homes where the laughter of kids is so vibrant and full of life there is one compelling habit that drives it all. And it is food. Food is similar to the motor that powers space rockets.

Agriculture is an extensive field. It touches almost anything that has to do with the production of consumables. In Australia, it is an industry that runs well into billions upon billions of dollars. It is also one of the booming sectors contributing to the growth of the economy. Of these huge monies though, it is quite interesting to point out that livestock makes up over half of the entire agricultural revenue. Animals are a precious resource in Australia. They have massive impacts of the livelihoods of thousands of people who work in livestock farming.

Protein has a lot of benefits it supplies to the human body. It is very important to human existence. Scientifically, it is cited as one of the mist essential nutrients which the body must have to facilitate better functionality of the system. Proteinous foods help us to grow physically too. They contribute to the formation of a strong body and muscles.

Crops contribute so much to Australia’s exports and are yet, very vulnerable to the challenges of crop pests and diseases. These challenges often result in a substantial loss of value if left unmanaged but require millions of dollars every year to control.

Rights are inalienable privileges which a person possesses by virtue of being a human being. They are entitlements which everyone must have to enable them live qualitative lives devoid of harassment. Rights guarantee that dignity is not the preserve of just a few powerful people. Nobody, no matter how ordinary he may be, deserves to have his rights taken from him or encroached upon by another individual.

For agriculture, the bigger population reap a whole lot of benefits when it flourishes, and when it does not, they equally share in the losses, too. Except that it is in a different way; they only feel the impact through a rise in food prices and other essentials tied in to the value chain. It is the farmer who bears the pain of seeing his crops lost and every effort from the planting season go to waste. This time however, community-supported agriculture designs a new perspective to viewing agricultural loss.

Horticulture is more than just a parade of planting beautiful flowers. It is a central part of the crop production process. In Australia, its enormous size is a testament to its role as a major player in producing food. According to data, the Australian horticultural industry totals a staggering sum of eleven billion dollars. It employs throngs of people and offers immense value down the production chain.

Global warming is a concept that simply means what it means; a warming globe. It implies that temperatures of the earth are increasing beyond previously seen levels. It is a situation which utterly changes the way we interact with the world. This is because global warming is believed to be caused by large scale industrial activities of developed countries.

A farming system is an integrated set of activities that farmers perform in light of their resources and circumstances to maximise productivity and profitability on a sustainable basis. It takes into account important components such as soil, livestock, labour, capital and energy with the aim of integrating each individual element in such a way that maximises efficiency.

© 2020 AFRN