Farming for the Future is seeking to create more sustainable farm businesses, improve environmental outcomes and support a thriving rural and regional Australia as we target net-zero.
Objectives
A major enabler of the transition towards a more financially prosperous, resilient and sustainable agricultural sector is an improved understanding of the role natural capital plays in generating benefits for agricultural businesses and farming families, and increased capability to incorporate natural capital into farm business management decisions.
Farming for the Future aims to support the agricultural sector to optimise the natural capital that underpins core agricultural production. We believe this will improve economic and environmental outcomes for producers, the food and fibre supply chain and the community – at scale.
We will support producers, their advisory network, NGOs, industry bodies, retailers, food companies, brands, financial institutions, banks, and insurers to work together to enhance farm profitability, resilience and sustainability by embedding natural capital as a factor of production in farm business decision-making.
Create national-scale evidence
Create the national-scale evidence that connects natural capital management and farm profitability
Develop practical, accessible information
Develop practical, accessible information and a benchmarking platform for producers and their advisors to help them make the informed decisions about their own natural capital to run more resilient and profitable businesses, and to achieve their other farm business goals
Normalise the inclusion of natural capital
Normalise the inclusion of natural capital in farm performance measurement and management in Australia
Work with industry and agriclutural supply chain
Work with the industry and agricultural supply chain to achieve their net-zero goals through the testing and implementation of mechanisms to reward improved natural capital outcomes on farms
Accelerate the improvement of natural resources
Accelerate the improvement of the condition of Australia’s natural resources and landscapes, including their capacity to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions
Frame agriculture as a solution to climate-change
Frame agriculture as a nature-based solution to climate-change
Contribute to economic development
Contribute to the economic development of Australia’s rural and regional communities
Developing a diagnostic tool for Natural Capital investments
The ultimate vision of Farming for the Future is of a user-friendly Natural Capital Investment Diagnostic or Benefits Benchmarking Platform that producers and their advisors would use to identify potential profitability and other benefits that could be available for their business via targeted investment in the natural capital of their farms. By using the benchmarking platform, producers and their advisors will be able to assess the positive business outcomes they could achieve if they make changes.
The platform will be designed to:
Our aim is that the benchmarking platform will be made available to all producers and their advisors across Australia. It will be housed with a safe, trusted & independent institutional owner that will maintain and manage the platform in the public interest. Sign up to our mailing list for updates.
Methodology
The Farming for the Future research methodology consists of three programs that will support the development of the benchmarking platform:
Measurement and Calibration (MAC):
Performance and Pathways (PAP):
Markets, Institutions & Development (MIND):
Visit the resources & publications page for more information about the Farming for the Future methodology & the research plan for each project stream.
Target outcomes
To achieve a more financially prosperous & climate-resilient agricultural sector in Australia, Farming for the Future will focus on four key project outcomes:
A transformed agricultural sector
Reformed food and fibre supply chains
An enabling policy landscape
Aligned finance, capital, and resource flows
Research timeline
To achieve a more financially prosperous & climate-resilient agricultural sector in Australia, Farming for the Future will focus on four key project outcomes:
Phase 1 (May - December 2021)
Research and Benchmarking Platform development
- Co-design session with producers, farm advisers, industry bodies, NGO’s, government to test the hypotheses & shape the draft research plan
- Develop a detailed, peer-reviewed research plan
Enabling systemic solutions
- Develop an initial Discussion Paper outlining the potential of the opportunities
- Co-design research
- Develop theory of change
Communications and stakeholder management
- Map stakeholders and develop approach
- Develop program narrative
Infrastructure and project enablement
- Secure co-funding and research partners
- Establish team and technolog
Phase 2 (12 - 18 months)
Research and Benchmarking Platform development
- Recruit at least 120–150 farm businesses
- Collect and analyse data
- Develop Benchmarking Platform prototype
- Release initial data
Enabling systemic solutions
- Develop and update position papers
- Consult with farmers, industry and cross-sector representatives
- Identify industry solutions
Communications and stakeholder management
- Build awareness and develop channels
- Manage regular communications
Infrastructure and project enablement
- Enable and coordinate networks
- Develop governance and sustainable funding model
Phase 3 (2+ years)
Research and Benchmarking Platform development
- Recruit at least 1,000 businesses
- Collect and analyse new data
- Scale the platform up
- Release new data
Enabling systemic solutions
- Develop and update position papers
- Consult with farmers, industry and cross-sector representatives
- Build and release stackable solutions
Communications and stakeholder management
- Leverage brand and channels
- Manage regular communications
Infrastructure and project enablement
- Enable and coordinate networks