Australia’s first short course on responsible innovation in agri-technology

Digital agriculture, or ‘smart farming’, is rapidly emerging in Australian agriculture. It aims to bring productivity gains and efficiencies to our agricultural sector. But as the agriculture industry in Australia embraces concepts and applications of digital agriculture, there are growing concerns about data ownership, data access, transparency and equity.

Two of CSIRO’s future science platforms, Responsible Innovation and Digiscape, are set to launch the first Australian short course on responsible innovation and agri-technology at the Centre for Entrepreneurial Agri-Technology (CEAT), Australian National University. The course is being delivered online to agri-technology researchers, developers, agricultural producers and policy makers to explore principles of responsible innovation in the context of agricultural technological innovation.

Drawing on innovative science developed by CSIRO, the course will examine how agri-technology can be developed and implemented responsibly, so that it is inclusive of individual, institutional and societal values and needs.

The short course has been designed to support a transformative approach to agri-technology that will deliver the right business ecosystem, accelerate innovation for wealth and jobs creation, encourage business investment, and incorporate those crucial elements of socially responsible innovation. The course builds the capability and understanding of all stakeholders engaged in agricultural innovation, allowing them to be informed about the data they contribute and use, not just as a consumer, but as a co-creator and curator of the data.

Read more about the reasoning behind the course.