It was great to be able to share the news today that AgriFutures Australia and Wharf42 were announcing a new collaboration to enable New Zealand & Australian innovators, researchers and farmers to come together to lead on climate action. A key driver behind this announcement was the joint ambition to build a trans-Tasman agritech collaborative framework that has purpose. Think ‘moving the dial’, rather than creating just another talk-fest.
As farmers and growers around the world face the increasingly existential impact of a rapidly changing climate, building a strong collaborative framework among key stakeholder groups across the Oceania region has become ever more critical. Next year’s 2035 Oceania Summit is designed to do that and today’s announcement both supercharges that opportunity and heralds a significant new era for trans-Tasman collaboration in the global AgriFoodTech space.
This is today’s announcement from AgriFutures evokeAG
2 SEPTEMBER 2021: ‘evokeAG. is proud to announce a new collaboration with the inaugural 2035 Oceania Summit taking place in Auckland on 26-27 April 2022.
With a focus on climate and sustainability, the 2035 Oceania Summit will offer a wonderful opportunity for Australian and New Zealand innovators, researchers and farmers to come together to lead climate action.
In 2022, we want to connect, collaborate and drive action across the Tasman to support farmers in continuing to be leaders in natural resource management. Through evokeAG. Perth (Feb, 2022), evokeAG. Sydney (March, 2022), and the 2035 Oceania Summit, Auckland (April, 2022), we hope to bring these important conversations and innovation to the forefront’.
BREAKING: Read today’s headline story on the evokeAG portal; ‘Trans-Tasman collaboration driving global innovation and action in 2022’. Wise words from John Harvey, Managing Director, AgriFutures Australia.
At the September 2019 Australia New Zealand Leadership Forum meeting in Auckland, I had the opportunity to connect with partners in both Australia & New Zealand to establish the Australia New Zealand Agritech Council. Over the past two years, we have continued to develop that relationship. As part of the continuing drive to increase opportunities for joint collaboration, earlier this year, Agritech New Zealand signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Australian Agritech Association.
The main purpose behind this work has been to position the region as a truly significant global AgriFoodTech hub. Next year’s 2035 Oceania Summit adds a whole new dimension to that purpose. By showcasing the region’s agrifood and climate-related tech research and innovation capability, we intend to support farmers and growers worldwide reduce their greenhouse gas emissions to net zero, as well as build more resilient growing systems to address the ongoing impact of a rapidly changing climate.
With a very significant delegation of Australian innovators, researchers, producers, investors and policy-makers now expected in Auckland next April, Wharf42 looks forward to working with the team at AgriFuture’s evokeAG as we build a significant programme of activity in advance of next year’s major trans-Tasman events.