Innovation Ag
Is there such a thing as an innovation roadmap in farming and agriculture? Probably not. But consider this podcast the next best thing. Deciding whether to invest in new agtech? Trying to fund or future-proof your next project? Want to value-add to your business, or maybe just keep up with industry changes? We pick the brightest minds, examine the latest research and map out a step-by-step process to help you implement change.
Hear from farmers, scientists, technologists and ag industry leaders - all working towards innovation, improved sustainability and new opportunities in agriculture. We’ll draw out the practical lessons, so you can apply them on farm, in industry or research. We also share the 'fails' too - because no innovation happens without the odd misstep along the way!
Hosted by Kirsten Diprose, a Victorian farmer, journalist and agriculture researcher. This podcast has been created by the Victoria Drought Resilience Innovation and Adoption Hub and is funded through the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund.
Episodes
16 episodes
Bonus episode: Building Innovation Teams - Getting Agriculture Research Out into the World
How do we better get new research to farmers, to start-ups for commercialisation, or to Ag industry bodies to build on, distribute and use? Should we be incorporating a diversity of skills and building teams from the beginnin...
Episode 10: Has your innovation actually been successful?
So, you’ve implemented change, well done! How do you know it was all worth it? This episode is the final from our current series on 'how to innovate' - and it's time to take stock. But really, that all comes down how you measure you...
Episode 9: Tapping into Circular Economies
Can you heat a hospital with wheat stubble? Or use chipped almond trees to improve your soil? These are some examples of circular economic trials that are underway in Australia at the moment. Arguably, never before has ...
Bonus Episode: Wayne Schild - From paramedic to big-thinking, commercial farmer
Wayne Schild's journey from paramedic to commercial farmer has taken guts, vision and plenty of curiosity. In this bonus episode, we're playing the extended interview with Wayne, who we spoke to in Episode 6 - 'Staying Operat...
Episode 8: Empowering climate adaptation at a local level
Rainfall levels for many parts of Australia haven’t recovered since the devastating millennium drought. Many rural communities are having to face a reality of landscapes and climate that have already changed, and are likely to continue to...
Episode 7: Innovation Systems - The Bigger Picture
What kind of “innovation systems” do we currently have for Australian agriculture? Well, according to a recent report commissioned by the Federal Government, it could be a lot better. The report found that whil...
Bonus episode: Dr Robert Faggian - Climate modelling for local climate action
Dr Robert Faggian doesn't want research gathering dust, or government talk fests with no action. So, in his keynote address at a recent event we hosted in Bendigo, Victoria, Rob looks at local government responses to climate adaptation....
Episode 6: Staying operational while innovating
So far we’ve heard a lot about innovation in ag – about what it is, about considerations to factor into the decision-making process and we’ve also heard stories about how others have gone about funding a new tool, practice, trial or project. &n...
Episode 5: How to make good use of data and digital tech
There are so many digital platforms out there, promising to count your cows, measure your soil carbon and do your finances. So how do know which data collecting applications are going to be most useful? From GPS-driven tractors, online auctions...
Bonus episode: Alternative funding sources - Christine Pitt (Farmers 2 Founders) extended interview
In this bonus episode, we bring you the extended interview from Christine Pitt, the Founder and Managing Director of Farmers to Founders. Christine was in Episode 03: Finding Funding & Building Networks.
Episode 4: How to value-add to your business... and the entire agricultural industry
So far, we’ve learnt from the stories of others on why and how they navigated the innovation process. Now it’s time to talk about types of innovation. Australia is known for its high-quality produce, but when you factor in the cost...
Episode 3: Finding Funding & Building Networks
Does big change have to cost big money? It doesn’t have to. In this episode we look at funding on-farm innovation and building a network which will lead you to new opportunities. We look at all types of financing from ...
Bonus episode: Jacob Birch: Food and Culture Through Native Grains - extended interview
JACOB BIRCH is an academic, entrepreneur and Churchill Fellow passionate about re-awakening, and bringing into a modern context, the native grain foodways that sustained his Ga...
Episode 2: Innovation & Decision Making: How do you implement change, without betting the farm?
Making the right decision at the right time is critical to good business and innovation, especially when you add drought or other volatile factors into the mix. So when a new opportunity arises, how do you know you’ll make the ‘right’ choice...
Episode 1: What is innovation & what motivates people to do it?
Sometimes we can confuse ‘innovation’ for high tech machines, sensors and drones. But there’s a lot more to innovation and adoption than fancy technology. So, what actually IS innovation? Bringing about change on farms or within agricultural in...