Nine points to mobilise against the decline in agricultural research development and extension in Australia

The symposium of Tasmanian division of the Australian Institute of Agricultural Science and Technology (AIAST) held in Launceston on 27th October 2010, focused on the theme – ‘Building RD&E direction and capacity in Australian agriculture’. The event delivered a range of urgent messages about the decline of agricultural Research, development and Extension (RD&E) investment in Australia, the impacts on productivity gains, the diminished academic recruitment into agriculture, weakened agricultural faculties in Australian universities and the prospective longer term on-farm, community and national consequences for Australia. A number of high-profile speakers including Professor John Mullen from Charles Sturt University, Associate Professor Colin Birch from the Tasmanian Institute of Agricultural research, Eoin Wallis CEO of Australian the Australian sugar industry’s RD&E agency - BSES Limited, and Nigel McGuckian, Rural Management Consultancy Group (RMCG),provided their informed perspectives on capacity issues in modern Australian agriculture. The symposium attracted 75 rural industry, government, private sector and university participants. In addition to an array of specialist speakers, the symposium also included a workshop session where participants were asked to contribute feedback to three questions: What were the most important issues or innovations discussed during the symposium and why? What directions might be taken by rural industries to re-vitalise public and private sector investment in Tasmanian agriculture? Suggest ways in which AIAST can play a role in addressing or advancing these cited issues. This document will summarise the general messages of the symposium that were derived from presentations and the workshop process and provides a set of nine points for AIAST at the national level to use in its advocacy role to mobilise against the decline in agricultural research development and extension in Australia.