Professor David Leslie McNeil Director TIAR Chair of Agricultural Science Tasmanian Agricultural Research Forum 2009 Keynote Presentation – Future challenges for linking NRM and productivity oriented research

Structure My background Case study –BIOS in Californian orchards Challenges

DAWA water, value chain; Plantago, grain legumes ANU, CSIRO biotechnology, molecular; soybeans, cereals UWA physiology, modelling; lupin DPI breeding, value chain, agronomy, CO2; pulses, cereals, canola. Australian directions

U Haw., USAID microbiology, agronomy; grain legumes, OSU, USDA nut trees Cornell Physiology; soybeans Lincoln University, value chain, phages for biocontrol; horticulture, pastures, trees, field crops International directions

Triple bottom line is often spoken about but is it really possible? Is a payoff likely? –ROI best available –Social advantages –Environmental advantages Research for the future:

Case Study A movement of rural and urban people to foster family-scale agriculture that cares for the land, sustains local economies and promotes social justice. BIOS, started 1993 as a revolutionary technical assistance program that demonstrates: 1) the viability of farming systems which rely on sharply reduced chemical inputs, 2) the innovative power of cooperatively linked agricultural institutions.

Case Study

Case study BIOS walnuts

Farming styles research for walnut growers indicates. 3 styles Maximisers Networkers Custodians All very effective at farming and making profits 1)Stuck with traditional high input farming 2)Picked up efficient systems (eg pheromones) but not effort requiring ones. 3)Picked up all BIOS systems

Case study 2; Mallee precision guidance Extensive cropping in the Mallee of Victoria. Farming the Mallee with GPS Guidance As a result, we changed our thinking from evaluating a ‘system’ dependent on 2 cm guidance and wide row-spacings, to evaluating individual technologies that could be adopted in any cropping system. Front cover of 'Farming the Mallee with GPS Guidance' handbook

Case study 2

Can include spraying Can include GM Can include fertilizers.

Challenges - Philosophy How do we get triple bottom line into mainstream systems:- Where cultural differences exist? Where there are not disadvantages rather than advantages for some issues? CAFF was a partnership! Mallee GPS was a partnership.

Challenges - TIAR Embed NRM into the TIAR RD&E programs Embed efficiency and effectiveness and profitability into the NRM projects. To capture the irrigation lead agricultural development of the state. To have information based options. To match the needs of the users. To be more intensive.;

Challenges - TIAR We need intensive high production agriculture with high $ returns for a prosperous state. But we want to live in the state.