AgriFutures Australia partnered with Farmers2Founders (F2F), a new entrepreneurship program designed to support primary producers adopt emerging technologies, new business models
and embrace changing consumer markets.

There is evidence a number of producers are looking to diversify and develop new food and fibre products to satisfy a dynamic domestic and international consumer market.

For the industry to realise the National Farmers’ Federation’s target of a $100 billion agriculture sector by 2030, the growth of new industries will need to be much more rapid and much more responsive to new trends and ways of doing business. F2F was established by thought leaders
and innovation specialists Sarah Nolet (AgThentic) and Dr Christine Pitt (Food Futures Company). The co-founders saw a gap between the agriculture and tech communities and knew a unique approach was needed to solve the problem. “Our aim is to elevate the role of producers to
solve real problems and networks, explains Sarah Nolet. Producers have hard-won expertise, insights, context, and networks. We must unlock this potential and enable producers to catalyse more high value agrifood innovations.”

“Changing global conditions in agriculture are creating a fantastic opportunity for our food and fibre industry in Australia, and we want to make sure that producers have every opportunity to contribute their experience and play a key role,” said Dr Pitt. We know there are producers
who are ready to step forward to develop new technologies, new value chains and new products and we wanted to create a program that was designed specifically for them.”

The initiative has attracted and developed proactive, innovative Australian primary producers
looking to grow and transform their businesses. Regional workshops, held in locations across Australia, showcased the latest trends and benefits of emerging new agriculture, food and fibre technologies, and how cutting-edge technologies to help grow their business. As a F2F partner, AgriFutures Australia hosted dedicated F2F workshops for its Levied Industries. Following the workshops, farmers ready to transform their businesses on-farm and beyond the farm gate could apply for the F2F innovators or early adopter streams in agtech, and food innovation.

Key statistics:

  16 workshops delivered, 400 attendees and 200 of them being producers

  Two pre-accelerator programs delivered with a total of 24 participants

  Business Growth Bootcamp Program – eight producer-led teams participated

  Early Adopter Program – 10 businesses engaged through the program.

F2F is supported by AgriFutures Australia, Australian Wool Innovation, Grains Research and Development Corporation, Meat & Livestock Australia and Wine Australia.