Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation - University of Queensland

TropAg: Science to nourish the world

The heat is on agriculture and food production in the tropics. With the global population expected to reach nine billion by 2040, the greatest pressure will likely be experienced in the world’s tropical zone which is home to half the world’s population, including more than half of its young people, and many of its fastest growing economies.

In the developed world there is an increasingly obese but undernourished population battling various chronic illnesses associated with environmental factors, including too much of the wrong food. This contrasts with a large proportion of the world’s population still struggling to attain enough calories a day to survive. The role of science in providing solutions to meet these challenges was the focus of TropAg2017. The conference had as its theme nutrition security – ensuring people, both in developing and developed countries, have access to the critical nutrients in food that support and boost core bodily functions, and provide the fuel to live a healthy and active life.

Leadership in sustainable agriculture and food

The second international TropAg2017 conference, was held in Brisbane on November 20-22, 2017, and confirmed Queensland as a global leader in sustainable agriculture and food production. Hosted by UQ and QAAFI, in partnership with the Queensland Government, a key feature of TropAg2017 was an alliance of northern Australia research providers – QUT, James Cook University, CQU and USQ – who sponsored the event, and helped develop the scientific symposia. TropAg2017 conference showcased a coalition of Queensland University research institutions to an audience of 720 delegates.

AgFutures

Dr Beth Woods, Director-General of the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, whose Department were a major sponsor of the conference through the AgFutures stream, gave the opening address, highlighting the successful partnership between the Queensland government and TropAg2017. The AgFutures stream of the TropAg conference included four symposia focussing on agri-technolgy to an international audience. Other sessions in the wider conference were also promoting Queensland agri-technology.

Networking events

Conference organiser, QAAFI’s Ms Hannah Hardy, said many organisations arranged meetings around the conference, including the Researchers in Agriculture for International Development (RAID) Early and Mid-Career speed networking event, and a Regional Development Australia. A series of satellite events were hosted at TropAg2017, including PacBio Research Day, a Global Leadership Series seminar, Gender and Food Breakfast, Next Gen Scientist, a Queensland Rural Press Club breakfast and a free screening of the Food Evolution movie.

Global reach

Over 160 international delegates were in attendance and engaging in presentations by Queensland researchers.

› Bangladesh › Brazil › Cameroon › Canada › China › Ethiopia › Ghana › Hong Kong › India › Indonesia › Iran › Italy › Japan › Kenya › Malawi › Malaysia › Mali › Mexico › Mozambique › Myanmar › Nepal › Netherlands › New Zealand › Nigeria › Pakistan › Papua New Guinea › Peru › Philippines › Rwanda › Samoa › Singapore › South Africa › Spain › Switzerland › Tanzania › Thailand › Timor-Leste › Tunisia › Uganda › United Kingdom › United States › Vanuatu › Vietnam › Zimbabwe

View the events from TropAg2017

TropAg2017 Photo Album

TropAg2017 Videos

About TropAg

TropAg is the world’s leading tropical agriculture event bringing together the best in research and innovation, across plant, animal and food sciences. TropAg focuses on science and technology solutions across the agriculture and food supply chain, including technology and investment. Now incorporatingthe agricultural technology AgFutures conference, TropAg held in Brisbane, Australia, the capital of Australia’s second largest state, Queensland, which has 83 percent of its land area dedicated to tropical and sub-tropical agriculture.

TropAg is the premier event for anyone concerned with addressing the many challenges in tropical and sub-tropical agriculture and food production. The 2017 conference theme was “high impact science to nourish the world”, reflecting the critical role of science, technology and innovation to the many challenges facing tropical and sub-tropical agriculture and food production globally.

Save the date TropAg2019
11-13 November 2019

TropAg2017 Fast Facts

720 Attendees 24 Trade stands 35 Symposias 46 Countries represented 248 Posters 252 Speakers

TropAg2017 saw over 700 delegates from 46 countries gather at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre between 20-22 November for an insightful discussion on how we can better nourish the world through science.

The conference was made a great sucess with the involvement of the various researcher partners, James Cook University, Queensland University of Technology, Central Queensland University and the Unviersity of Southern Queensland. The involvement enriched the academic program, and encouraged cross-insitution networking and collaboration, all with a common goal of solving the challenges faced in the Tropics.

Some key messages from TropAg2017:

“Agriculture is becoming a vibrant, innovation-driven industry”

“The future of agriculture is committed to improved nutrient content in higher valued crops whether through natural breeding programs or genetic editing”

“Think about the impact of your research outside of your ‘bubble’ – what worldly impact will it have? How can you communicate your findings to improve the lives of people in third world countries?”

Who attended TropAg?

Researchers, investors, agribusiness professionals, policy makers, agricultural technicians, producers and students found TropAg an excellent opportunity to network, and to and learn from colleagues and leading scientific practitioners from Australia, and the world.