National Wool Research, Development and Extension Strategy
The National Wool Research, Development and Extension Strategy outlines the priority objectives for the wool industry over the next 20 years and the technologies, products, tools and delivery methods required or desired to achieve the objectives.
The National Wool Research, Development and Extension Strategy outlines the priority objectives for the wool industry over the next 20 years and the technologies, products, tools and delivery methods required or desired to achieve the objectives.
The strategy will develop and deliver more efficient research based on grower consultation and researcher collaboration across AWI, State Departments of Agriculture, CSIRO and universities.
At the request of the Commonwealth Government, the Australian wool industry developed the National Wool Research, Development and Extension (RD&E) Strategy. This strategy forms part of the National Primary Industries Research, Development and Extension Framework.
The Strategy is designed to increase the efficiency of funding and resource use, and improve industry uptake of innovation.
The Department of Agriculture and Food Western Australia (DAFWA), NSW Department of Primary Industries and AWI lead the strategy implementation, with support shared by strategy co-signatories, the Queensland Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry; the Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment Tasmania; Primary Industries and Resources South Australia; the Department of Primary Industries Victoria; CSIRO and universities.
Download the current National Wool Research, Development & Extension Strategy
The previous version, from June 11, is still available here:
- Download an electronic version of the Strategy (PDF 883Kb).
- Open a printable version of the Strategy (PDF 1.3Mb).
- View an overview of the Strategy in Powerpoint (PDF 319 Kb).
Grower Consultation
In 2011 industry consultation with woolgrowers and post-farm organisations for the National Wool Research, Development and Extension (RD&E) Strategy began and continues every three years during strategy implementation.
Over 500 individual project ideas and needs for wool sheep and sheep in general were identified after conducting woolgrower forums, workshops and surveys in 2011.
The strategy programs identified three major investment areas for wool industry RD&E from 2011-2030 are:
- Wool production
- Wool supply chain management and demand growth
- Wool industry resilience and growth
The links below outline the findings taken from the first round of consultations involving 139 woolgrowers across Australia:
- Hamilton, Victoria workshop (PDF 58Kb)
- Merredin, WA workshop (PDF 41Kb)
- Katanning, WA workshop (PDF 58Kb)
- Longford, Tasmania workshop (PDF 29Kb)
- Young, NSW workshop (PDF 24Kb)
- Armidale, NSW workshop (PDF 34b)
- South Australian survey (PDF 68Kb)
- Queensland survey (PDF 96Kb).
- Wagin, WA workshop (PDF 63Kb) during the 2009 AWI Grower Forum.
For further information, please email nationalstrategy@wool.com
Projects Commissioned
The National Primary Industries Research, Development and Extension (RD&E) Framework seeks to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of primary industry RD&E through collaboration, whilst reducing capability gaps, fragmentation of effort and unnecessary duplication.
The annual Wool Industry RD&E Researcher Forum is key to implementing the Wool Industry National RD&E Strategy and achieving the objectives of the National Primary Industries RD&E Framework.
The forums work to:
- Harness the collective knowledge and experience of the wool industry RD&E community to develop high quality projects that address priorities in the Wool Industry National RD&E Strategy
- Achieve collaboration among providers and funders of wool industry RD&E to reduce capability gaps and ensure projects are both effective and efficient
- Provide an opportunity for all wool industry RD&E stakeholders to collaborate on proposals submitted to the Forum and contribute to the process of developing projects under the Wool Industry RD&E Strategy.
While the National Wool Industry RD&E Strategy is one of several options for RD&E providers seeking project funding, it provides the best opportunity for collaboration in both project development and project delivery.
Projects recommended under the Strategy carry the endorsement of the National Wool Industry RD&E Working Group:
- Scientific merit
- Benefits to woolgrowers
- Building human resource capacity and infrastructure in areas relevant to the Strategy
- Opportunities for collaboration on human resources, infrastructure and research governance
- Avoiding duplication and enhancing collaboration
In 2011, research priorities agreed under the Strategy were:
- Labour efficiency - including remote animal monitoring and management
- Lifetime productivity - selecting and managing Merino ewes to optimise lifetime performance
Parasite research adoption - identifying and overcoming the barriers to adoption of parasite research.
Submitting proposals under the National Wool RD&E Strategy, information on timelines and processes for submitting project proposals:
- Two-page (maximum) proposal proforma (Word template 67Kb) to be completed and submitted under the National Wool RD&E Strategy
- Timeframes (PDF 47Kb) for the submission of proposals beyond the Forum date
- Alternative process for submitting wool industry project proposals to AWI (PDF 90Kb)
National Wool RD&E Strategy Forum report - click to view or download:
Progress of Proposals developed under the National Wool RD&E Strategy - view or download an update on the progress of 2011 proposals developed under the National Wool RD&E Strategy (PDF 227Kb).
For further information, please email nationalstrategy@wool.com.
