Canberra, Australia
June 26, 2007
The Deans and Heads of Schools of
Agriculture in Australian universities met recently in Canberra
and resolved to establish the Australian Council of Deans of
Agriculture (ACDA), which will come
into effect from July 1, 2007.
The Universities represented were Adelaide, Charles Sturt, La
Trobe, Melbourne, New England, Queensland, Sydney, Tasmania and
Western Australia.
A representative from Lincoln University in New Zealand was
present by invitation. Professor Les
Copeland (University of Sydney), Professor Roger Swift
(University of Queensland) and Professor
Jim Pratley (Charles Sturt University) were elected interim
President, Vice-President and Secretary-
Treasurer, respectively.
The Council saw itself as having an important role in relation
to the whole agri-food and fibre sector,
the natural resources involved in that sector, and agribusiness,
particularly with regard to:
- portraying more positively
the agricultural and natural resource management sectors and
their
contribution to Australian society, to help redress negative
perceptions of agriculture in the
community and increase awareness of the complexities of the
food supply chain
- developing sector-wide
strategies for strengthening student recruitment into
agricultural science
programs
- obtaining a clearer
picture from industry about the future workforce needs for
agricultural
graduates, on enrolments in university agricultural programs
(as distinct from more general
environmental science programs), and on graduate
destinations.
- engaging with governments
and key industry and professional organisations, to provide
a single
voice on issues common to University agriculture.
Members agreed that a
number of messages should be emphasised to the community
including:
- buoyant job prospects
in agriculture, and that jobs in agriculture are complex
and require higher
level skills
- the agric-food value
chain is more than on-farm production, and includes
natural resource
management and agribusiness
- agriculture accounts
for ~20% of Australia’s export earnings
- the processed food
industry is Australia’s largest manufacturing industry
- research has had a
major impact on Australian agricultural productivity,
and in ensuring that Australian food is healthy and safe
- top farmers take a
strong risk management approach to their business
- the need to produce
more food from less land and water
- agriculture provides
stewardship for Australia’s land and water resources
- agriculture is
proactive in adapting to adapting to climate change
- biofuels will compete
with food production for land and this creates new
challenges
- development of the
north will depend on bringing high quality science
- the use of chemicals
in Australian agriculture is low in comparison to the
rest of the world
- food supply chain is a
high tech business
Discussions also included:
developing models for teaching cooperatively, particularly in
specialty areas and in postgraduate courses; a need for
strengthening of agribusiness and finance, and for more
agricultural and resource economists to address issues like
climate change and water resources.
The Council alsoheard that a concerted effort in New Zealand by
government, industry, professional societies and universities to
promote agriculture as diverse, interesting, and high tech, with
job opportunities along the value chain, had resulted in a
significant rise in enrolments since 2003.
The Council agreed to meet again in early October.
Professor Les Copeland
Interim Chair, Australian Council of Agriculture Deans |
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