Section 2 - Sugar Research and Development Corporation

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SRDC BUSINESS
Industry Priorities and direction
from the Minister for Agriculture,
Fisheries and Forestry
In addition to the National and Rural R&D
priorities, the SRDC is also guided by industry
priorities.
Throughout 2010–2011 the SRDC held regular
meetings with its representative organisations,
and participated in industry-wide workshops.
It also received advice from the Minister for
Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry defi ning
annual research priorities for the Australian
Government.
Priority was given to projects that contribute
to step changes in sustainable productivity
in sugarcane, growing, harvesting and milling
in the following areas:
��innovation in energy, biomass utilisation
and product diversifi cation.
��reduction in production costs and/or
improving the utilisation of capital.
��new and improved sugarcane varieties.
��improvement in the uptake of new
technologies and decision-making tools
by industry participants.
��reduction in exotic biosecurity threats, and
improvements in managing endemic pests
and weeds, including risks enhanced by
climate change.
��sustainable improvement in productivity
in the face of climate variability.
SRDC Annual Report 2010–2011
Investment Arenas and Resource
Allocation
The SRDC’s research and development portfolio
is based on three major investment arenas:
Regional Futures – Implementation of innovative
farming, harvesting, transport, milling and
marketing systems tailored to the needs and
opportunities of each region.
Emerging Technologies – Rapid translation of
relevant emerging technologies that will enhance
the industry’s competitive edge in the global
marketplace.
People Development – Development of
individuals and networks across the sugarcane
industry that enhance the capacity for continuous
improvement.
Table 2.1 illustrates the relationships between
the SRDC’s corporate outcome, arena outcomes,
outputs and inputs.