Australia’s farm sector has fresh opportunities in Southeast Asia, with the region signalling strong demand for new agrifood, agritech and research partnerships.
Southeast Asia is one of the fastest growing global regions and its demographics, economic openness and ambition mean it will drive economic growth through to 2040 and beyond, according to Su McCluskey, NFF Interim Chief Executive.
Ms McCluskey has just returned from the “Strategic Agribusiness Partnerships Mission to Indonesia and Brunei”, confirming strong appetite for deeper commercial, research and technical partnerships with Australian agribusinesses.
“Australia stands to both contribute and benefit from this growth by partnering with countries in Southeast Asia to help them with their self-sufficiency goals as well as food security imperatives,” Ms McCluskey said.
“Australian agribusinesses don’t just export goods but also services, and there is significant demand for our agritech, research capability and practical expertise across the region.
“There are also opportunities in capacity building, education and training, but importantly it is about building relationships and trust that will determine the long-term outcomes.”
In particular, Brunei has such a stable political economy, being an absolute monarchy, small, high-income country that is in the epicentre of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). This provides certainty for businesses wanting to invest or partner in Brunei, which is working to diversify beyond oil and gas and into the agrifood sector.
Indonesia has a population of almost 285 million and with a growing need for protein and other nutritional foods to help them meet their Nutritious Meals program, ensuring that no child should go hungry at school.
“Australia can supply key services in the areas it has proven capability, including robust food safety standards, traceability and biosecurity measures,” Ms McCluskey said.
“On this trade mission I saw firsthand how Australian agritech and innovation are already making an impact, and how ready the region is for more collaboration.
“Diversifying our markets is key for continued trade and market access for agriculture and as the provider of first-class services, Australian agribusinesses can provide the goods, services and skills needed in this rapidly growing region on our doorstep.”
The NFF was proud to be a strategic partner with Austrade on this mission, with participants including agritech companies, Research and Development Corporations (RDCs), commodity bodies, universities and CSIRO.
“Missions like this show what’s possible for both Australian agribusinesses and our Southeast Asian partners,” Ms McCluskey said.
“We should back more of them to unlock the unleashed potential in this region.”
Learn more about the mission in these video interviews.
Ashleigh Whittaker
Stacey Davidson