Agricultural innovation at evokeAG 2025

Last week, on 18-19 February, the SQNNSW Innovation Hub made a significant impact at evokeAG 2025, the largest ag tech conference in the southern hemisphere, which brought together global leaders in agriculture, technology and sustainability. 

Partnering with Australia's seven other drought hubs and Beanstalk Drought Venture Studio, it was an excellent opportunity to showcase hub projects that are having impact on communities, through a sideline bus tour, Transforming Agriculture in Real Time, which highlighted the Darling Downs region's cutting-edge agrifood innovation. Facilitated by Toowoomba and Surat Basin Enterprise and supported by the SQNNSW Innovation Hub, it was the largest sideline presentation for the event, drawing 95 delegates from across Australia and around the globe. Attendees included a UK delegation from the British High Commission, Innovate UK, and a Taiwanese delegation from the Ministry of Agriculture and Economic Affairs.

The tour featured a presentation of the Changing the Game project hosted at Tosari Crop Research Centre by UniSQ's Ag Tech Adoption research team. This significant project, co-funded by the SQNNSW Innovation Hub and Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) is expected to benefit farmers, agricultural communities and businesses by encouraging uptake of independently validated ag tech solutions and best farming practices for climate and drought resilience, through:

• using digital technologies to improve farm profitability and sustainability
• optimising inputs (water, fertiliser, etc) to maximise outputs (yield)
• testing a range of technologies to provide information to improve planning around drought resilience.

"It has been an incredible opportunity to showcase the Darling Downs and demonstrate the depth of research being undertaken here. By bringing together innovators to our region, we are fostering a culture of confidence and collaboration. Farmers can take pride in knowing that innovation creation is happening right here on our doorstep, paving the way", commented Hub Innovation Broker, Bruce McConnel.

Through its involvement in evokeAG 2025, UniSQ has once again demonstrated its leadership in agricultural innovation, showing how regional universities can drive global change in sustainable farming practices and technology.

Hear more from SQNNSW Hub Innovation Broker, Bruce McConnel, as he reflects on the immense importance of the hub's involvement in evokeAG 2025.

Youtube video