TROPAG CONFERENCE 31 October – 2 November 2022 Brisbane, Australia

Program

Abstract Books

The TropAg conference was held at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre in Australia from Monday  31 October to Wednesday 2 November 2022. This conference incorporated HarlanIV, AgFutures and four other symposia themes which made up the three-day program. 

TropAg featured leading Australian and international scientific voices who are actively engaged in advancing research and raising awareness of the many challenges in the diverse field of agriculture and food production.

TropAg celebrated its fourth conference, attracting around 1000 delegates from over 53 countries. Our six plenary speakers are scientific experts and agriculture industry leaders:

TropAg is hosted by The University of Queensland – a world leader in agriculture and food research, with support from the Queensland Government via the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, a Scientific Committee, an International Advisory Committee and vital partners and sponsors.

Delegates networked and learnt from colleagues and leading international scientific voices from across the globe, who are actively engaged in advancing research and raising awareness of the many challenges in the diverse field of agriculture and food production.

Theme

Description of theme and suggested topic areas for presentations

1. Agribusiness, value chains, and the bioeconomy

Capturing commercial, social, and environmental value through the agricultural supply chain, to ensure the effective delivery and management of associated risk and rewards.

This theme integrates issues and opportunities facing agribusinesses, value chains and the bioeconomy with a focus on improving commercial, social and environmental outcome.

Agribusinesses require a reasonable return on their investment and an equitable share of the value captured across the chain.

Using the outputs of value generation from crops, horticulture and livestock, including waste, as feedstock for bioprocessing, biorefining, biorecovery and biofoundries can generate high value advanced manufactured products, despite being capital intensive and high-risk. The adoption of new science, innovations, and technologies enhance the quality and productivity of agricultural outputs, improving competitiveness and market access.

The greatest barrier to adoption is the cost of new technology, coupled with uncertainty about its effect on productivity, profitability and long-term asset building. Researchers need to be increasingly mindful of this when planning their research, especially with the shift in funding to non-government sources. Market and demand focused research, with the customer at the centre of the equation, is one means to designing research that is more likely to be adopted.

This theme will also focus on topics, but are not limited to:

Improved profitability of agribusiness
Improved translation of research
Innovation catalysing new businesses/sectors
Optimised food systems and value chains
Opportunity and demand driven research prioritisation
Provenance and traceability
Enhanced value of agricultural production
Value addition on shore
Indigenous/native foods

2. Predictive agriculture

Predictive agriculture

Predictive technologies are important research tools, decision support tools for agricultural producers and also essential for the future resilience of value chains, from field to fork.

For thousands of years, farmers have anticipated or ‘predicted’ seasonal conditions before planting a crop. In the face of increasing climate variability, prediction of plant and animal performance is critical for agricultural productivity and sustainability.

In the digital era, data-driven tools that integrate a vast array of agricultural, biological, climatic, and hydrological data into predictive models could support decision-making for both farmers and breeders.
Technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning can predict outcomes, manage inputs, and plan for system shocks and changes decades into the future.

This theme will also focus on topics, but are not limited to:

Improved breeding systems
Maximising yield
Maximising performance under future climates
Optimising GxExM
Prediction of quality and value
Decision support to maximise on seasonal and market fluctuation
Remote sensing and data convergence

3. Sustainable agrifood systems

The world’s agrifood systems are responsible for a third of all anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions and agricultural land and water use for agriculture has a huge effect on biodiversity.

The next decade will see a great need, but also an opportunity, for the agricultural sector to help with carbon sequestration, reverse biodiversity losses and find more sustainable ways to ensure food security for everyone.

This theme encompasses the sustainability of agricultural systems – particularly tropical and subtropical animal, and plant production systems.

Symposia in this theme investigate the sustainability and environmental footprints of individual entities, or entire systems and supply chains. Symposia will discuss novel ways to reduce methane and other GHG emissions in our production systems. Symposia discussing increased productivity with reduced inputs are particularly encouraged.

This theme will also focus on topics, but are not limited to:

Increasing productivity in the face of climate variability
Opportunities to increase sustainability via reduced input costs
Automation & digital technologies to reduce labour costs in intensive horticultural systems
Increased sustainability of extensive pastures and grass-land-based animal production systems
Improving drought-resilience of cropping and grazing enterprises
Decreasing our dependencies on chemical fertilisers
More sustainable pest- and weed management
Increasing sustainability of feed-grain and fodder production and supply
Increasing food system sustainability through reducing post-harvest losses and waste
Opportunities to sequester carbon in our production systems
Methods to measure emission intensity, sustainability, environmental footprint and animal welfare along the supply chain
Soil and animal health for sustainable production

4. Healthy agriculture and food for healthy communities

Transformation of agriculture and foods for healthy diets require systems thinking and culture change. Dietary shifts to balance consumption of fruits, vegetables, nuts and legumes and meat can contribute to reducing diet- related chronic diseases, poverty, and food waste. To address this challenge is vital to feed a growing population for a healthy society.

This theme will also focus on topics, but are not limited to:

Diagnostics and management of plant and animal pests and diseases
Improved biosecurity
One health, where the interaction of human and animal health is considered together
Animal welfare
Emerging foods
Food safety and enhanced quality
Food formulation, processing and preparation for enhanced nutrition
Sustainable consumption driven by consumer needs
Personalised nutrition and healthy diet

5. AgFutures

A showcase of innovation and investment in Queensland agriculture.

The AgFutures theme, hosted by the Queensland Government, focuses on showcasing agri-technology and investment in Queensland.

Queensland producers have a worldwide reputation for producing high quality, clean and green produce in tropical and sub-tropical climates. The AgFutures theme showcases the state’s latest technology and innovations in digital and data platforms, robotics, satellites and biotechnologies.

Producers, growers, researchers, policy makers, and agribusiness will be engaged in the AgFutures theme. In 2022, AgFutures will focus on making the most from the disruption we have all experienced in the last two years. Any topic from the other theme areas may be explored in the Queensland context in AgFutures.

This theme will also focus on topics, but are not limited to:

ESG considerations along the supply chain
Queensland Agriculture’s role in fostering a circular economy
Embracing alternative proteins and precision fermentation
Innovation in safety and traceability
Advances in robotics and biotechnologies
Biosequestration, carbon farming and agriculture
Responsible agriculture in Great Barrier Reef catchments
New and emerging markets
Using the soil microbiome to manage pests and disease

6. Harlan IV 2022

The fourth international Harlan conference, held in 2022 in conjunction with the TropAg conference draws attention to emerging issues from the history of agriculture and the evolution, conservation, and use of genetic resources.

Presentations are invited, emphasising the multidisciplinary aspects of:

The origins of agriculture (from archaeology to genetics and agroecology),
The conservation and use of genetic resources in agriculture including the variety of biological systems (plants, animals, microorganisms), over a broad temporal scale (from the origin of agriculture to the current problems of use of agricultural biodiversity in response to the needs of food security and climate change). www.harlanIV.com

TROPAG CONFERENCE

31 October – 2 November
2022 Brisbane Australia

Contact: TropAgHarlan@expertevents.com.au

TropAg event organisers and affiliates acknowledge the Traditional Owners and their custodianship of the lands on which we meet. We pay our respects to their Ancestors and their descendants, who continue cultural and spiritual connections to Country. We recognise their valuable contributions to Australian and global society.