ARC Training Centre for Future Crops Development 

The ARC Training Centre for Future Crops Development has been established to train a new generation of researchers and leaders to build new capabilities for agriculture.

An International Collaboration

This Centre is funded by the Australian Research Council under its Industrial Transformation Training Centre Program and will run from 2022 to 2027.

The Centre is a collaboration of universities, government research agencies and the Australian grains sector’s key stakeholders in training, R&D, social engagement, responsible innovation, breeding, marketing and delivery. Find out more here.

The Centre has international partners in gene-editing, SynBio, crop breeding, and, other partnerships for co-developing deep technologies to transform the agriculture industry and global food security.

Our Vision

The Centre will build future R&D capabilities in the Agrifood sector to drive growth, productivity and competitiveness for the benefit of agriculture and global food security.

We will train the next generation of researchers, policy-makers and industry leaders who will collectively build a community of practice that drives innovation, growth and competitiveness in the crop agri-tech sector. The workforce will be uniquely equipped with the socio-economic and regulatory know-how necessary for successful agricultural innovation and adoption.

Our Why

Major advances in gene-editing and synthetic biology (SynBio) over the last 5 years have the potential to dramatically improve the efficiency of agricultural production with a predicted US$1.6 trillion global economic impact.

However, greater societal engagement about potential benefits and concerns about these technologies, and improved research and industry connectivity is needed to progress agricultural innovation.

The Future Crops Training Centre will create a nationwide industrial capability that will be internationally transformational in accelerating crop genetic improvement. This capability will provide novel insights that clearly analyse societal and market considerations and new product opportunities, and achieve better alignment between technology and societal demands.

The Centre commenced in 2022 and is training PhD students and early-career researchers in new Agri-technologies and in analysing socio-economic opportunities.

Diversity Statement

At the Centre, we are deeply committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive community made up of researchers, students and industry professionals from a range of backgrounds and experiences. It is this diversity and breadth of experience that empower the Centre’s collective success in achieving our vision of agricultural innovation.

• We actively seek to recruit and retain individuals with diverse backgrounds, building a Centre team today for tomorrow’s workforce.
• Principles of Inclusivity, Diversity, Equity and Access (IDEA) are core to the Centre’s values and behaviours.
• The Centre strives to create a sense of belonging and shared purpose that supports inclusive approaches.
• We will establish practices that place world-leading women and minorities in positions of influence to create sustained, inspiring change.

Acknowledgement of Country

We respectfully acknowledge and celebrate the First Australians of the land on which we live and work. We pay our respect to the elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. We acknowledge the rich cultures and histories of the First Nations peoples of Australia and recognise the ongoing connection that Traditional Owners have to Country.