Key points
- We’re supporting new pathways into the innovation ecosystem for producers, growers, and the community.
- Australia needs ideas to help farmers prosper in hotter, drier climates, and build greater resilience to more frequent and prolonged droughts.
- The Emerge program aims to develop ideas that help mitigate the impact of drought.
As anyone living in the West can attest, it was a scorching start to 2024 for Perth and the surrounding area. The region was in the midst of a prolonged dry spell.
Unfortunately, dry periods like this are predicted to become more frequent and severe in future. So, we need to nurture new ideas to help farmers adapt and save water.
Enter Jay Elliott, an agricultural consultant from North Dandalup, south of Perth. Jay recently participated in the Emerge Program to progress a water savvy idea. By connecting farmers and the community to the innovation system, the program is providing support to help the agrifood sector prosper in hotter, more variable climates.
We partnered with Western Australia’s Grower Group Alliance (WA GGA) who delivered the program, contributing to our goal to reduce the impacts of Australian drought.
Having completed the program, Jay’s seed of an idea is closer to becoming a reality.
Novel approaches to water conservation for livestock
“My idea is based around water conservation and ensuring our livestock have good quality water that’s also cost-effective to the farmer,” Jay said.
“I can’t give away the details of it just yet, but I can share the inspiration behind it.”
Her idea came to her in a paddock surrounded by cows in searing 40+ degree Celsius heat. She was cleaning the water troughs when she thought there must be a more efficient way to save water. What she came up with was a simple idea to utilise science that’s thousands of years old in a new way.
“I believe that we can’t have better quality water unless we look after the water we’ve already got.
"We have this resource, let’s not waste it because we need to try and build a better planet for the future.”
Growing the seeds of innovative ideas with Emerge
Jay appreciated the financial benefit of having her idea supported. However, she said it was the connections that the Emerge program gave her that’s been of most value.
“I met the most brilliant, nurturing people who recognised that I had a great, ‘baby-seed’ of an idea and wanted to help me bring it to life.
“Staying true to the intention behind the idea was crucial for me. I’m developing this for the farming industry and the planet,” she said.
From prototype to practice
Jay has built a prototype, and the next steps are to talk to vendors who want to buy the idea and commercialise it. She believes her approach has the advantages of being easy, affordable and low maintenance.
“We have prototypes out and working on farms, which we’re supplying so that we can gather further feedback,” she said.
Journey to commercialisation
“I wouldn’t be where I am today without the Program’s support and nourishment," Jay said.
“We need programs like Emerge to encourage people to develop impactful ideas from the ground up. While you might have a great idea, you may not have the connections to make it happen.”
Jay believes the network she has now will be of enormous value as she continues the journey to commercialisation.