Ag Tech News - What is innovation and what motivates people to do it?

By Kirsten Diprose

Sometimes we can confuse ‘innovation’ for high tech machines, sensors and drones. But there’s a lot more to innovation and adoption than fancy technology. So, what actually is innovation? Bringing about change on farms or within agricultural industries and communities is complex. Firstly, understanding your motivation for change is critical to success.

So, in this episode, we look at three key motivators for innovation: 1) for growth & profit, 2) climate or consumer future-proofing and 3) community building. And sometimes is a combination of all of the above!

We look at whether an ‘entrepreneurial mindset’ is needed to innovate. Traditionally, farmers haven’t considered themselves as entrepreneurs because they are continuing the custodianship of land rather than creating something ‘new’. But is this changing?

Featured guests:

• Dr Dorin Gupta, Associate Professor of Sustainable Agriculture at The University of Melbourne’s Dookie Campus
• Andrea Cross, Director of 150km Feast in Horsham
• Nigel Kerin of Kerin Poll Merino sheep stud, an agricultural entrepreneur
• Ivan Shaw, inventor of the Shaw Arm Trellis and now-retired Merbein dried fruit grower
• Ross Kingwell, Professor at the University of WA’s School of Agriculture and Environment

The Innovation Ag Podcast is produced by the Victoria Drought and Innovation Hub and is funded by the Australian Government's Future Drought Fund