University of Western Australia Secures National Funding Boost for Agricultural Alliance

A new national centre to transition Australian agriculture to net-zero, healthy, resilient and profitable food systems has secured $300 million in funding over 10 years.

The University of Western Australia is collaborating on The Zero Net Emissions from Agriculture Cooperative Research Centre, which will be led by the University of Queensland.

The national collaboration includes a Federal Government contribution of $87 million to create impactful research on sustainable agriculture and drive real-world change.

Professor Phil Vercoe, from UWA’s School of Agriculture and Environment and Institute of Agriculture, and Associate Professor Marit Kragt, also from UWA’s School of Agriculture and Environment, are bid leaders for the Livestock research program and the Value from Net Zero program.

The Centre aims to drive industry, community and government action to achieve Zero Net Emissions from agriculture from 2040, and below zero net emissions by 2050.

“Agriculture directly contributes to about 16 per cent of Australia’s national emissions,” Professor Vercoe said.

“Our goal is to ensure Australia’s agricultural industries keep growing, while they simultaneously achieve zero net emissions targets.”

Associate Professor Kragt said emissions reduction needed to be profitable to ensure enduring adoption and the Centre would work closely with producers and industry to demonstrate solutions that created economic, environmental and social benefits.

“The ZNE CRC will harness and coordinate opportunities for rapid research, development and adoption of science and technology-led solutions, driven by our industry and government partners,” she said.

The research is supported by UWA, Cooperative Research Australia, the University of Queensland, Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, The University of Melbourne and The University of New England.