Analytics for the Australian Grains Industry (AAGI) is a co-investment from the Grains Research and Development Corporation with strategic partners Curtin University, The University of Queensland and University of Adelaide.
GRDC managing director Nigel Hart said AAGI would work to unleash the potential of statistics, machine learning, data fusion and analytics for Australian grain growers, aiming for the “unconstrained adoption of analytics-driven decision-making”.
“Our RD&E projects require a rigorous, data-driven approach, so statistical and analytical capabilities are critical for converting raw data into meaningful knowledge for grain growers and the broader grains industry,” Mr Hart said.
“GRDC is committing $36 million over five years to AAGI, which complements a $56 million co-investment from the initiative’s three strategic partners at Curtin University, The University of Queensland and the University of Adelaide.
“This investment will support Australian grain growers to be world leaders in analytics-driven decision making, which will drive efficiency and precision and support farm enterprise risk management.”
More than a decade ago, GRDC identified the value of investment in statistics for the Australian grains industry and AAGI will be a significant step change in that approach.
This new research will build on the foundational work done under the GRDC’s $23.8 million Statistics for the Australian Grains Industry 3 (SAGI3) investment, which delivered vital information for the grains sector between 2016 and 2023.
During this period SAGI3 provided statistical expertise to more than 210 GRDC investments totalling more than $490 million.
As a result of these investments, growers now benefit from better germplasm selections in pre-breeding programs, clearer research-driven agronomic recommendations, and tools that use data to support on-farm decision-making.
AAGI will be led by Dr Nathan O’Callaghan, as AAGI’s inaugural director.
Formerly director of the precision health future science platform at CSIRO, Dr O’Callaghan is a highly respected Australian science and innovation leader.
“Dr O’Callaghan brings a wealth of experience to the role of AAGI Director, through his extensive work at CSIRO and across government, academia and industry,” Mr Hart said.
“Working closely with strategic partners, Dr O’Callaghan will lead AAGI in bringing together universities, federal and state government research agencies, and commercial technology and analytics providers as one team to tackle the grains industry’s biggest challenges.”
AAGI will build substantial capacity in the grains RD&E analytics workforce, with investment earmarked to support the equivalent of 49 full-time researchers and 48 higher degree research students.
This increased capacity will broaden analytics capabilities, allow more investment into high-priority research, and attract additional intellectual property, investment and expertise from the commercial sector and other parties.
