New institute to help meet agricultrual challenges

The University of Adelaide’s new Waite Research Institute will help South Australian agriculture become even smarter in meeting production challenges.

The Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries, Michael O’Brien, officially launched the research institute.

It represents a new era in the site’s history, which dates back to 1924. The original Waite Institute served multiple functions, including education.

Mr O’Brien commended the University for working within the national agenda to show scale and focus in research.

“The institute provides a collaborative platform for research partnerships across the University, with other research organisations, with government and industry,” Mr O’Brien said.

“The new Waite Research Institute aims to ensure profitable and productive agriculture in the face of climate change, increased costs of energy, limited natural resources, urbanisation and environmental degradation.

Mr O’Brien said agriculture was vital to the South Australian economy.

“Creating new opportunities for agricultural production and exports, improving the health and wellbeing of South Australians and achieving sustainability are all key objectives in the state's Strategic Plan,” he said.

“The Waite Research Institute will provide a focus for research activities and will foster the growth of research.

“Importantly, it will also enable researchers to expand their links with industry.

“Outcomes of the institute's work will include improved farming practices, new plant varieties better able to cope with climate change and disease, greater food security, more nutritious food, improved profitability for farmers, and a decreased environmental footprint for agriculture.”

Scientific activities at the Waite Research Institute include plant and pest biology, plant genetics and breeding, integrated farming systems, soil science, food science, wine science, agronomy and agricultural economics.

As well as university-based research, the Waite campus is home to several partner research organisations.

Collectively the co-located partners have more than 1000 staff and post-graduate students and an annual research income of more than $110 million per year.