Staff from Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development’s (DPIRD) Agribusiness, Food and Trade (AFT) team, and the Peel Development Commission, represented Western Australia at the inaugural evokeAG conference in Melbourne in late February.
Held over two days, evokeAG provided a platform for the agriculture and food sector to exchange information and share best practices on how technology can and will shape the future.
The event also showcased agtech, research and investment opportunities to more than 1100 farmers, entrepreneurs, investors, government representatives and corporate bodies from 21 countries.
As a strategic evokeAG partner, DPIRD hosted an exhibition booth that proved popular with visitors and was an effective means of communicating our messages.
The opportunity to meet potential investors and key industry partners was also invaluable.
A masterclass entitled ‘Innovating down the cost curve at Bungulla Farms’, presented by DPIRD Economist Brad Plunkett and grain grower and Bungulla Farms Director Brad Jones, was fully subscribed.
The Commission’s Economic and Regional Development Principal Officer Janine Hatch represented regional WA and provided valuable information on opportunities and investing in the Peel region.
The department supported a delegation of six WA investor-ready agtech businesses to attend the conference, and worked with them to make investor and industry connections. The delegation included SWAN Systems, Mapizy, Livestock Pricing, Laconik, ManukaLife and Kimberley Wild Gubinge.
AFT A/General Manager Susan Hall said sponsoring the conference helped raise awareness of DPIRD’s investment offer and promoted the department on the national stage to a domestic and international audience.
“It demonstrated DPIRD is serious about supporting agtech and promoting investment opportunities in WA,” she said.
“Thank you to everyone who contributed their time, knowledge and skills to helping tell the “Why WA?” story to an international and highly engaged audience.”
This article was first published in the Peel Magazine, Autumn/Winter – vol 5.1 – to read and download the full magazine, click here.