Project to support producers deliver to domestic and Asian customers
Two top end universities are linking on a study to improve the efficiency of northern Australia’s agricultural supply chains and freight networks.
The Reframing Northern Australia Supply Chains Study, undertaken by the Charles Darwin University (CDU) Northern Institute and James Cook University (JCU), will take a broad look at supply chains across Northern Australia, with the view to develop more efficient, effective, smart and agile models.
The project, part of the Cooperative Research Centre for Developing Northern Australia (CRCNA), aims to re-frame the way goods are moved around the north and to Asian customers.
The project also will identify key policy and budgetary directions to support effective supply chains, identify potential partnerships for collaborative planning and implementation of supply chain initiatives and value-add to supply chain thinking and analysis.
CRCNA chair Sheriden Morris says efficient supply chains were fundamental to the improvement of competitiveness, prosperity, productivity and sustainability of northern Australia.
Read about remote region freight issues raised in recent forums, here
“This project will provide a renewed examination and reframing of supply chains – how they work and how they could work better.
“We all know we can grow high-value agricultural crops in the north, and that we can rear quality cattle and that our seafood is some of the best in the world, but unless we can get our products to market in a consistent, cost-effective and timely way, we will continue to give away our competitive advantage, stifling development and growth.”
Northern Institute’s northern Australian development associate professor Pascal Tremblay says a final report would outline major potential policy reforms needed to support effective supply chains in Northern Australia.
“Our integrated approach will deliver a framework to support longer-term collaborative planning and implementation of supply chain initiatives into the future, across agencies, across industries and across jurisdictional governments.”
The research team will bring together key stakeholders from across Queensland, the Northern Territory and Western Australia to develop a comprehensive roadmap for future planning and investment.
Roundtable sessions, to be held early 2020, will involve a mix of stakeholders sharing knowledge with the view to form a community of best practice.
The CRCNA says it wants to build an evidence-base to inform budgetary, investment and infrastructure planning that “supports smart and agile supply chain development for Northern Australia, to the benefit of all producers and agribusinesses”.
The final report is expected mid-2020.